The Chaos in Solitude
by BeneathAWesternSky
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi is in the first months of his exile on Tatooine, watching over the infant Luke Skywalker. There, he meets and befriends a young Force-sensitive girl. Will he take a new Padawan? Is there more to their friendship? With her presence comes a surprising degree of chaos, but she could be the very thing that he needs in his solitude. [Warning: adult content]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thank you for being patient with me as I repost this chapter. In reading it after publishing, I noticed some glaring redundancies and inconsistencies, and I couldn't bear to leave them in. Thank you for taking the time to read my story! Reviews are always appreciated, as they help me grow as an author, and give me inspiration to keep going!**

It was an unusually cold evening on the desert planet of Tatooine. Though the days were usually hot enough to cause first and second degree burns if you walked on the sand barefoot, during this particular season, the nights became chilly. Though it was indeed cold enough for a person to throw on a second layer of clothing before going outside, none of that mattered to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Nothing much really mattered to him, save for his one duty to which he had silently pledged his life. But on this particular evening, when baby Luke was safe with his new family, and no one was looking for him, Obi-Wan felt unquestionably hopeless.

He had found himself in the seedy Mos Eisley Cantina that night, a place that the bottom feeders of the galaxy frequented, conducting their dirty deals in corners. He was well into his third glass of Keela, and finally began to feel the effects of the alcohol. Seated in a far corner of the cantina, hood drawn, Obi-Wan was only vaguely paying attention to the goings-on in the establishment. It was nothing too out of the ordinary.

The bar tenders were serving those seated in stools, and there were a handful of waitresses, of varying species, bringing drinks to tables. There were two Twilek females, two human girls, and one Dathomirian female. The owner and operator of the Cantina liked to keep some variety in his wait staff, but always insisted on having Twileks especially for their ability to keep customers coming in. Many of the brothels on Tatooine had the same idea.

There were drunken men of many humanoid species who had hoped to charm their way into the good graces of the waitress bringing them their drinks, but each night they came up empty-handed. The waitresses knew, however, to keep that glimmer of hope shining for their customers. That's what brought them back.

Despite the activity in the cantina, Obi-Wan's thoughts wandered to the faces of the people who he would never see again. He tried desperately to push them out of his mind, but in the six months he had been on Tatooine, he was never really able to forget them for long. It was on nights like this that it was especially hard. After weeks of little to no communication with other sentient beings, despite his meditation, Obi-Wan's mind wandered.

With images so vivid he felt he could touch them clouding his thoughts, and the alcohol muddling his thoughts, he barely heard the waitress at his elbow.

"I said, can I get you another?"

Obi-Wan looked up to see a young woman in the Mos Eisley Cantina's waitressing uniform awaiting his decision. The human girl gave him a sweet smile as she waited.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, reluctantly, and watched as the girl took his glass away. His eyes followed her as she approached the bar, and let herself behind it, refilling it with the pitcher of Keela resting on the bar.

Her beauty was not lost on Obi-Wan. In his months of grieving, he had found himself pausing in front of the brothel on a few occasions, but could never allow himself to enter. Loneliness was getting the better of him. His despair was especially to blame, as he felt that since there no longer was a Jedi Order, what the hell good were his vows anyway? He still didn't know what strength brought him to walk away each time.

But this girl, she was much different than the painted girls at the brothels. She had light colored brown hair, tied back in a twisted style, a youthful face, and as Obi-Wan would note when she returned, brightly amber-hued eyes. She filled out the uniform well—it was hard not to notice that all the girls looked pleasantly in their knee high boots, sueded skirts, and matching cut-off tops that bared their midriffs. However, despite being scantily clad, and working in the most deplorable of institutions on Tatooine, this particular human girl did not look like she belonged. It was in the way she carried herself that Obi-Wan thought she was a peculiar addition to the staff.

Obi-Wan briefly reached out with his mind and found that there was a presence about her that was unmistakable. Still, he chose not to read too much into what he was feeling at the moment. His senses had been blunted; it could mean anything.

Before he knew it, she had returned with a full glass. Her kind eyes seemed to smile as she stopped at his table.

"Here you go," she tilted her head slightly, taking him in. He thanked her. Still she did not walk away.

"Six months," she said.

Obi-Wan scrunched his face up. "Excuse me?"

"Six months," she said, amused, "you've been coming in here, and you haven't sat at in my section in all that time."

"What makes you so sure I've been here six months?" Obi-Wan tensed slightly at the thought that someone had been keeping track of his presence, even if it was in passing.

"I may be a bar-maid, but I'm not a brainless one." She smiled, hands on her hips. "Besides, this isn't the only place I've seen you, believe it or not. And I've lived here my whole life. Someone new stays here for more than a fortnight, and I'm bound to notice." She paused, waiting for an answer. None came She winked, taking his standoffishness as a sign that he'd much rather be left alone.

Obi-Wan rubbed at his bearded chin as she walked back to the bar. Where had she seen him? He prayed she hadn't seen his internal struggle the few times he'd stood outside the brothels. Where had it been? And why hadn't he noticed her before?

Choosing not to start on his next drink just yet, Obi-Wan watched the girl more intently. Her presence was indeed unmistakable. He could feel the energy radiating off her. It wasn't sophisticated, perhaps for lack of cultivation, but it was there. Could he be sure though?

It wasn't until she reached up in the far corner of the bar, to a pitcher that stood alone on the far reaches of a shelf, that he was sure. She stood on her toes, trying to add height, and reached for the earthenware pitcher. Still, she came no closer. Obi-Wan felt a slight tremble in the force as this girl, this unassuming waitress, finally closed the distance between her and the pitcher. If Obi-Wan hadn't been watching so closely, he was sure he would have missed it. It was only about an inch that the pitcher had slid into her hand, but still Obi-Wan was sure it was the force, and he was sure it wasn't him who was using it.

* * *

Miri reached the bar, smiling to herself. Jaki, one of her Twilek coworkers, looked up at her reproachfully, while filling several glasses that were resting on a tray. "He comes in to my section once a week, maybe, and just as many times I've seen that doe-eyed look when you see him."

Miri looked up into the blue-skinned girl's eyes. "What?"

"I've never seen you throw yourself at a customer like that," Jaki marveled.

Miri blushed, and tried to hide it. "I haven't the faintest clue what you're talking about." Miri tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Jaki shook her head. "He's a prickly one, Miri. Never even once has he tried to pick me up, and that's normally what the human guys sit in my section for. He's never been _rude_ , but he's very brusque when he talks to me."

"And that's different than half our customers, _how_?" Miri asked. "Besides… I think he's just sad is all."

"Honey, you'd have to be a little bit sad to come in here more than once." Jaki picked up her tray, resting it on her shoulder. "Sad, or just plain crazy."

Miri stepped aside, making room for Jaki to tend to her table. She felt right about the sadness, but all joking aside, she'd picked it up every time he walked into the cantina. She was good at reading emotions, and his were coming off in waves, despite his serene exterior. Shaking it from her mind, Miri turned and focused her energy on completing her task of filling a new pitcher with Jawa Juice. She looked about the bar in hopes that someone taller than her might reach the top shelf that always gave her trouble. Unfortunately, everyone able to was busy.

Mal, the bar owner, always had a way of putting the pitchers too far back for Miri to reach. True, she was by far the shortest waitress at Mos Eisley, and most others had no problems reaching the shelves, but she still huffed in frustration that he couldn't seem to put them just a hair closer to the edge. Up on her toes, Miri reached for the pitcher, but still no luck. Lengthening her arm, and flexing her fingers a few times, Miri finally wrapped them around the pitcher. After taking it down, she filled it with Jawa Juice and went to the table that had asked for refills.

* * *

Obi-Wan was confident that this girl knew nothing of what she'd just done. Children often had these episodes where the force was used so casually without their noticing, but by then they were already in the Academy. This girl looked to be no more than twenty, but still far older than the padawans he had seen this phenomenon in.

The girl took her now-full pitcher over to a table full of unsavory-looking male pilots. Like the rest of Mos Eisley Cantina, they were a mixture of some various humanoid males. Her face betrayed nothing of discomfort, but Obi-Wan silently wondered how a girl who looked like her could feel at all comfortable in a place like this.

Obi-Wan's stomach hitched slightly as he saw the look on the face of one Zabrak as he raised his hand determinedly. He had vowed to stay out of any altercations that took place in the cantina, and it took incredible willpower to resist interfering now.

The Zabrak had intended to lay his hand on the exposed portion of the girl's thigh, in the gap that the hip-high slit in the skirt exposed. The girl, leaning over the table, filling a hard-to-reach glass, could not have seen the hand as it reached her thigh, but before it had a chance to make contact, her own hand whipped back and grabbed at the offender's hand. Bending it down and back at an unnatural angle, the human girl rounded on the Zabrak, warning him with her eyes. He cried out in pain, hurling a curse at her.

The others at the table scooted their chairs back to react, but before the situation escalated, the girl's demeanor switched from that of intense warning to aggressive flirtation. She let the Zabrak's hand go, and placed her free hand on the Zabrak's shoulder. Leaning down, she put her mouth close to the Zabrak's ear and whispered something that made his expression transition from angry to amused.

She had diffused the situation. If she was nervous, she hid it well. The waitresses at Mos Eisley Cantina were not unaccustomed to unwanted advances from patrons, and were well versed in how to de-escalate a situation without angering a customer. She walked away confidently, but when she reached the bar, Obi-Wan could see the wary look in her eyes, and could sense her fear. She said a few words to the Twilek girl whom she'd spoken to earlier, nodded, and put down her pitcher. She was about to disappear behind the bar, and appeared to be grabbing a cloak that had been hanging by the back entrance. She draped it over her arm, and exited the cantina.

* * *

Miri approached Jaki, hands shaking. Her encounters with patrons like the one she just had normally didn't rattle her too much, but tonight was different. She locked eyes with Jaki, and spoke low.

"I think I just need to get out of here tonight, Jak." Miri said. Jaki understood.

"I gotcha covered. Go home." Miri thanked nodded her silent thanks before grabbing her cloak and walking out the back. Once she was in the cool night air, Miri put her cloak on, and rested a moment against the synstone walls of the alleyway. She breathed deeply, hoping to slow her heart rate.

She shook her head, and told herself she was being silly. It was true, it wasn't the first time, or even the twentieth time this had happened, but lately it had been different. The pressure from the Hutts on her father's grocery business had been weighing on her. It weighed on her so much that a year ago, she took a job at the seediest bar in Mos Eisley just to help ends meet at home. But a recent run-in with one of the Hutt's debt collectors a week ago had left her jumpy.

Thankful that Jaki had given her leave to go home, Miri steeled herself and headed towards home, drawing her cloak about her. Lost in her own thoughts, she barely took notice of the raucous men who were following her.

* * *

Obi-Wan sat for a few moments, finishing his drink, and noted that the girl had not returned. She must have gone home for the evening. Deciding he too was finished at the cantina, Obi-Wan threw a few wupiupi coins onto the table, and left the bar through the front entrance. Obi-Wan had enough to think on for the evening. His encounter with the force-sensitive girl had left him in a contemplative mood.

As he rounded the corner, heading for where he'd parked his speeder bike, his eye caught a figure propped against one of the synstone walls of the buildings surrounding the cantina. It was the girl. He halted momentarily, thinking of approaching her, but stopped when he remembered that he was supposed to be keeping a low profile. Hardened in his resolve, he kept walking, and found his speeder bike.

As he settled in, he heard noises from the cantina. Unable to help it, Obi-Wan reached out with the force, and found the girl, who had put her cloak on, and was walking in Obi-Wan's direction. He told himself he simply needed to leave, but still he found that his good nature and the force were willing him to stay put.

The noise that was coming from the direction of the cantina was the very group of pilots that had upset the girl so much. And they were following her. They were a good twenty paces behind Miri, but still the look on the Zabrak's face was determined. As if he were stalking his prey. Sometimes the methods employed by waitresses to diffuse tense situations gave them hope that could often lead to trouble. It appeared that tonight was one of those nights.

Obi-Wan fought his urge to help her. His thumb rested firmly on the start lever for his bike, but before he could flip it, the jeers of the men behind her shook him from his daze, and he hopped down from his bike quickly, and before he knew it, he was at her side, grabbing her elbow.

"Just keep walking," Obi-Wan said. Miri looked up at him startled, but once she recognized who it was, she was more willing to listen than simply pull away.

Miri glanced behind her, and saw the Zabrak who'd rattled her so much. Her breath caught in her chest, and turning her head back around, she picked up the pace with the man from the bar. The calls from behind her were growing louder as they walked, and Miri's heart felt like it was going to leap out of her chest.

Sure that the men would follow them as long as they could, Obi-Wan knew he had to lose them. He was able to pull her into an alley, and quickly they took enough turns that it appeared they had evaded the group. To be sure, Obi-Wan stopped the girl, pushing her slightly against a synstone wall, and peered out from around the corner, listening intently.

Once he heard the group get further and further away from them, Obi-Wan looked down at the slight girl whose arm he was still holding securely. His stomach flipped when he looked down into her frightened, amber colored eyes. Noticing he was still holding her elbow, he forced himself to let go.

"Thank you," she said, breathlessly. She was sure that if it weren't for this man, she would have been in terribly hot water.

Obi-Wan's jaw clenched slightly. "Now, how far is your home?"

Miri studied the man's blue-gray eyes, which held no sign of malice or ill-intent. Finding her voice, she replied.

"About ten blocks from here, close to the market."

"I'll see you home." Obi-Wan said, hoping he wouldn't come to regret escorting this girl home.

They walked briefly in silence, finally making their way through a series of alley turns to a main thoroughfare. Miri, unable to stand it, attempted to fill the silence with idle talk.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm a rather nosy girl to begin with."

Obi-Wan was confused. "Excuse me?"

"Earlier, in the cantina," she tried not to stammer, or stumble over her words. "I can tell I made you uncomfortable. I don't want you to think I'm watching you or anything of the sort. I just… I just pay attention is all. I imagine you don't want your presence to go noticed here."

Obi-Wan chuckled, hoping his levity would diffuse the situation. "And what makes you think that?"

"Well," Miri smiled to herself. "Isn't that why most people come out here? You're either born here, or you come out here to get away from something."

Feeling that she struck a chord, Miri realized she was doing it again… being entirely too personal. Hoping to explain herself, she spoke again.

"My father, he's a grocer…" she said. "I pack the orders. People usually order the same thing each week. You're no different, Ben. But, then again, when that's all you're doing every day, the smallest things stick out to you."

Obi-Wan breathed in. He was foolish if he believed that after six months he wouldn't start to be noticed. Some of the vendors had started to know him by name. However, he hadn't anticipated someone taking this amount of interest in who he was, but he knew this girl wasn't ordinary. So, he played along.

"Well," he began, relieved his cover wasn't entirely blown, and his alias had stuck, "I suppose you know all about me then."

"Yes," she said, facetiously. "Five beets, five turnips, a pound of rice, a pound of dry beans, a pitcher of blue milk… Oh yes, you like your routine, Ben."

"You've got me all figured out then," Obi-Wan said. Before he could say any more, Miri stopped at a door.

"We're here," she placed a hand on the door, and turned back to Obi-Wan. "Thanks, for back there. And… I didn't mean any harm, at the cantina." Miri opened the door. "Sometimes I don't think before I speak."

"It's quite alright." Obi-Wan turned to leave. As he began walking, his thoughts were consumed with his bizarre encounter with the force-sensitive girl. As he thought, he realized he hadn't caught her name.

"Miri," he heard from behind him. Obi-Wan turned. Miri was standing just inside her door.

"My name's Miri."


	2. Chapter 2

The encounter had left Obi-Wan with much to contemplate. On his hover bike, he made his journey back to his hut in the desert, and considered the girl whom he had just met.

She was an odd, precocious young woman, for sure. And there was no doubt she was force-sensitive.

 _Just like Anakin…_ Obi-Wan thought. Not in the sense that the force was as strong with this Miri as it was with Anakin, but that she was all the way out here, in the Outer Rim, where her power could not be cultivated by the Jedi Order. If it had been a year ago, Obi-Wan would have felt sympathetically for this girl, but now it was the best thing, really.

Obi-Wan had witnessed the great purge. Everyone he knew, save for a few souls, was murdered in cold blood. The Jedi way had been snuffed out in a matter of hours. And it was at the very hands of the one he thought would bring an end to the dark side. He was not sure if there were other survivors besides Master Yoda. He hoped in his heart there were.

It hurt his heart deeply to think of the records in the archive, some of them destroyed, the rest in the hands of Darth Sidious. To think of all of his fellow Jedi Knights, murdered. The younglings… Obi-Wan could still see their faces.

That brought him back to this young girl. Obi-Wan had heard rumors of what was going on with the new Empire. Of course, by the time information made its way to the Outer Rim, much of it was distorted, or a flat out lie. But within these distortions, Obi-Wan found truth. Harboring fugitive Jedis would get you executed. Owning Jedi weapons would get you executed. Hiding information about the whereabouts of fugitive Jedis would get you executed.

Was this girl his responsibility? He knew she was not. But Obi-Wan felt sympathetically for her. If she continued to have occurrences of using the force in public, she may be seen. Luckily, it did not appear that anyone had noticed what he saw at the cantina. But how long could that be said? She did not appear to be any older than twenty, but he anticipated that as she matured, she would have more of these episodes. Stronger episodes.

Deciding to meditate on it, Obi-Wan went to sleep in his hut, and left the matter for the next day.

* * *

Miri closed the door behind her, heart pounding. Hoping not to wake her father, she hung her cloak up in the entryway, and made her way into the main living area of the synstone building. She started when she heard someone clear their throat, and she found her father seated at his favorite chair, book in hand.

He looked at her over his spectacles. Smiling his warm and comforting smile, Lee greeted his daughter. "Everything ok tonight?"

Miri sighed, hoping to let go of some of the stress that had followed her home. She contemplated telling her father of what happened at the cantina, but something told her it was best he not know.

"Yes, papa," she said, approaching her father. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Just tired is all."

"You take on too much, Miriam, dear," Lee said, his care-worn face looking even older than he was.

"Papa, never you mind that." Miri smiled, already letting her hair down from its twisted style. "Now, it's another early day tomorrow, so you and I had better get some sleep." Content when her father nodded his agreement, Miri retired to her own room, and closed the door behind her.

Miri ran her fingers through her hair, and shook out the curls that had been left after being twisted all day. Happily, Miri stepped out of her cantina work attire, and threw on her night gown. After climbing into her bed that was built into the wall, Miri let her thoughts wander to the strange man who'd come to her rescue tonight.

Miri first took note of him a few weeks after he had been coming to her father for his weekly groceries. She never dealt directly with him—she was always in the back packing baskets, but something about him had intrigued her greatly. As he kept coming each week, Miri could pick up more and more subtleties about him.

She could tell he was well educated. He was an inherently good man. And he was also deeply saddened by something. All of this she was certain of. She had always been very good at reading the emotions of others. But still, Mire had not plucked up the courage to speak to him. She was certain he had not even noticed her in the back.

That is why tonight was different. Miri had occasionally seen him come into the cantina, but he had never sat in her section. She had thought a few times about asking one of the other girls to switch a table with her so she could wait on him, but never got the nerve up. But tonight she had been imbued with some kind of courage that came from an unknown place inside her. Perhaps it was knowing that he was in her section that she knew she finally had a chance to speak to him.

Her skin seemed to prickle when he had been so close to her that night. She didn't know what forced her to be so bold in her speech with him, but lying there with her stomach full of butterflies, she was glad she had been.

Maybe it was that Miri had few male peers her own age that had made her so interested in this Ben. Most of her peers had gone off to institutes of higher learning, or taken up as traders, or even become smugglers. She would have been among those who had gone off to study if it weren't for her father needing help with the grocery, and the pressure from the Hutts. No matter what her peers had chosen, the fact remained that they were gone, and she was virtually peerless. She spent her days working behind a stall in Mos Eisley, and her nights fending off the advances of the scum of the galaxy.

As a young girl of twenty-one, with no romantic prospects, her mind often wandered to the possibilities of meeting a stranger from afar. Someone who was kind, handsome, and not like her patrons at the cantina—namely, criminals. Sure, she had no idea if this Ben was kind, or if he was a criminal, but something told her that he was indeed kind, and not a criminal. She was sure though that he had definitely not taken notice of her. Miri found herself disappointed at the thought.

Still, she smiled to herself as she fell asleep thinking of their encounter, and remembering that tomorrow was the day of the week he came to get his groceries.

* * *

Obi-Wan steeled himself as he remembered that today was his day to pick up his basket of supplies from the local grocer in Mos Eisley. Obi-Wan had conducted business with Lee Gorsa amiably. He had no complaints from him as a vendor. Lee never spoke more than was necessary, which Obi-Wan liked. He always shared a pleasantry or two, and sent Obi-Wan on his way. He felt like he had swallowed ice water when he thought of the fact that Miri would be there today.

Moreover, he surprised himself by being slightly disappointed that he had not picked up on her presence sooner. He had never spoken with her. He was aware that there were others who worked for Lee Gorsa, but he never stuck around long enough to get a feel for who they were. He wasn't sure now whether he was excited at the possibility of seeing her today, or nervous. Maybe it was a combination of the two.

For a brief moment, Obi-Wan considered putting off his grocery pickup for the week, but when he assessed his own stock, found that he was low on supplies. He chastised himself for not keeping more supplies on hand. Alas, there was nothing to be done about it. He would have to pick up his supplies today.

* * *

Miri had awoken early that day, despite being tired from the events of the previous night. She even beat her father down to the stall that morning. She'd already finished three baskets by the time her father arrived.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Lee had joked, seeing his daughter working diligently.

"The sooner I start, papa, the sooner I can go home. Right?" She looked at Lee hopefully.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Lee conceded, settling in to his ledger book, balancing numbers for the day before the customers started coming in.

Miri had butterflies since the moment she woke up. She had finally reached Ben's order, and packed his usual. She smiled, and bit her lip as she again grew bold, throwing a few muja fruits into the basket beneath the sacks of rice and beans. She had hoped he would interpret this as a silent thank you for his help last night.

With his basket packed, and all of the others finished, Miri occupied herself by reorganizing the shelves close enough to the front that she would still be able to see Ben when he arrived. It wasn't long before he did.

Miri had felt a pull from behind her bellybutton, a feeling that had begun to accompany his visits to the stall each week. It always gave her an advanced warning to his coming. Wheeling around, Miri scanned the street for him. He had not shown yet. She was not disappointed, however, when Ben finally showed.

His blue-gray eyes met hers immediately. She blushed under their gaze. Wordlessly, Miri went to the back, and grabbed Ben's basket before her father had a chance to do the job for her. She definitely was breaking routine, but she would gladly endure the reproachful looks if only to speak a few words to Ben.

She approached the front table with the basket, and stood in anticipation until he was mere feet from her. Setting the basket down on the table, she smiled.

"Good morning," Miri might have imagined it, but she felt that he was just the slightest bit happy to see her. She at least hoped it wasn't just her imagination.

"And to you," Ben said. He was aware of the side-eyed glances being cast from the general direction of where Lee Gorsa, Miri's father was seated. He sensed that Lee was more curious and amused than anything. Still, Lee was silent, and allowed his daughter to make this transaction with their patron.

Reaching for some form of conversation, Miri glanced down at the basket. "Everything as ordered, but we ran low on tea this week. We are expecting a shipment either today or tomorrow. It should be in if you come in for it tomorrow afternoon." Miri paused to gauge Ben's reaction. "Or we can include it in next week's order."

Ben swallowed. He deliberated over his options. Before he had time to second-guess his decision, he spoke. "I will be here tomorrow afternoon then."

Miri smiled at this. "We'll have it ready."

"I thank you," Ben said. He assessed Miri as she was before him, in the daylight. He much preferred her in this time, the morning suns shining favorably on her features. She was dressed more modestly than she had been at the cantina. She was wrapped in a muslin tunic and wore leather breeches. Her hair was down this time, hanging about her face in soft curls. Something deep inside him stirred. It wasn't entirely unwelcome, but it was an emotion he had been suppressing for many years.

Pulling the coins from his pocket, Ben made a small gesture of friendliness. "I don't think I could make it another week without tea. I think I'd be a rather unpleasant person."

"Then we'll surely not let you down, Mr. Kenobi." Miri took the coins, and smiled as their hands briefly touched.

"I'll be off then. Good day to you, Miri." Ben turned on Lee. "Mr. Gorsa, good day."

Lee smiled, and acknowledged his customer very simply, "Ben." He said no more, and with that, Ben Kenobi left their stall. When he was far from hearing range, he looked at his daughter, who was looking after Ben wistfully.

"Miri dear," he said through his bemused smile. "Humor an old man."

Her eyes turned to meet her father's. "Hmm?"

"You and Ben Kenobi." He set his pencil down. "Since when do you deal at the counter, then?"

Miri shrugged it off. "You looked occupied, papa."

"Uh-huh… I think I know why you got such an early start to today's orders."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Miri turned and retreated to the back of the elaborately made up tent.

"He's much older than you," he was beginning to take on the tone of the concerned father.

"He can't be that much older papa." Miri said. "Besides, what is 'old' by your standards?"

"Old enough to know you're far too young for him." Miri rolled her eyes at her father's deflective answer.

"I think I'm old enough to make those kind of choices on my own."

"That you are." Lee got up, and quickly kissed his daughter on the forehead before returning to his post.


	3. Chapter 3

Obi-Wan sat pensively on the horizon just beyond the Lars family moisture farm. He had been watching the farm from afar on a weekly basis, keeping an eye on the baby Luke Skywalker. So far, life seemed to be normal for Owen and his wife Beru. They were settling into life with a baby remarkably well. Beru would bring Luke out every morning for the sunrises, and every evening for the sunsets. Though he was not her own, she seemed to dote on him as if he were. Obi-Wan could sense her sympathy for the baby boy, and this comforted him.

Though he sat his watch on the Lars farm this afternoon, his mind dwelled on Miri.

How he wished he could clear his mind. But he couldn't help himself. He hadn't felt this way about another person since his time with Siri Tachi. They were friends for a time, and fellow Jedis, but their friendship had blossomed into more. Still, never had they broken their vows as Jedis. Siri Tachi had died some time ago, leaving Obi-Wan to think that feeling this way for another person ever again would be impossible. He knew now he was wrong.

She had been searching for him this morning. He could feel her reaching out through the force, unconsciously, to find him. It hit him like a speeder once her eyes had met his. Her force signature, and use of the force, was very visceral. It was driven by her passions. If she had been a trained Jedi, this would have worried Obi-Wan. Because of her ignorance of her abilities, Obi-Wan concluded that because of her innate goodness, her use of the force in this manner was not worrisome.

He did, however, worry that her force manifestations might escalate and endanger her in the future. Obi-Wan struggled with the desire to help a fledgling force-sensitive girl, and a desire to maintain his anonymity. After all, it was not his safety that worried him. It was Luke's. Any attention he drew to himself might endanger the boy.

Still, he allowed himself the possibility of establishing a rapport with the girl. It caused him some deal of inner turmoil, as he knew her interest in him was driven by more than youthful curiosity. She was a keen young woman, vastly unaware of her own beauty, but desperately seeking to make a connection with someone. She'd just so happened to hone in on the one person with whom a force connection could be created.

Unable to resolve his internal struggle, Obi-Wan decided to retire for the afternoon, and spent the rest of the afternoon in meditation. Upon retiring for bed, Obi-Wan still had not come to a conclusion about how he could allow himself to act with the precocious young woman. Yet even so, he found himself wishing for the next day to come, that he might see her again.

* * *

Miri had been anxious in the time leading up to the next afternoon. She took special interest in seeing that the shipment of tea did in fact come in. It came too late for Miri's liking, but still it came. She'd had it ready as soon as she'd gotten her hands on the very large bag of dried tea leaves.

Just as expected, Ben showed up that afternoon, ready to collect his tea. He could feel how elated she was at his presence.

"Any luck with the shipment?" Ben asked, hopefully.

"We did get lucky," Miriam responded with a smile. Dutifully she grabbed the small pouch from the back, and brought it to Ben. She placed it in his hand, hoping her eagerness was not showing.

Ben reached in his pocket and pulled out the adequate amount for the tea. After paying Miri, he spoke low.

"I thank you for the addition in my pack yesterday," he was referring to the muja fruit. "That really wasn't necessary."

"Ah, but it was." Miri said, pleased with herself. "How else was I going to thank you for seeing me home?"

"No thanks needed, but you are welcome all the same."

Miri stood there, not sure where else their conversation could take them. She held his gaze hopefully. His eyes rested momentarily on her lips before he shook himself mentally.

In another fit of boldness, Miri took a chance. "Are you going to be long in Mos Eisley today?"

"I _had_ intended to only pick up the tea."

"If you're not in any rush, I would love some company going to the book dealer," Miri half smiled, hopeful in her waiting.

"If you've got leave, I shouldn't see why a short trip to the book dealer is out of the question. You did after all help me with my tea deficit." He held up his pouch with a wry smile before securing it in a pocket in his cloak.

"Wonderful," Miri said, coming out from behind the counter. "I've finished for the day, so we'll just be on our way." Miri cast a look back at her father as if to say _don't worry_. Lee said nothing, and let his stubborn, headstrong daughter leave without question.

Ben let Miri take the lead. He had never been to the book dealer, but knew the general area in which he was located. Ben was happy to let Miri take the lead. He was overcome with a serene feeling in her presence, despite his better judgment telling him he should be mindful of their closeness.

Ben was surprised to find that Miri took it upon herself to link her arm with Ben's. He was continually being surprised at this girl's cavalier attitude and brazen demeanor. Neither of which he interpreted as willful or arrogant, and so again he allowed the contact. It seemed to calm her, in some way. It also seemed to put her force-sensitivities at ease, which he knew would help her control her force outbursts.

Still, he wished he could tell her this. Quieting her mind was the first step towards control of the force, but he would not allow himself to breech this subject. He merely allowed himself to be taken for a turn around the streets of Mos Eisley.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a very precocious young woman?" Ben ventured. They had been walking in silence for a few moments, and he had wondered if she would be the one to speak first.

"Yes, but that implies I'm advanced for my age." Miri peered sideways at Ben. "How old do you think I am?"

"You can't be more than twenty," Ben knew he wan encouraging her affections, but he simply couldn't help himself. He told himself it was curiosity.

"Twenty-one," Miri said. "And would it be terribly rude of me to inquire as to your age?"

"I'm far too old for you, Miri," Ben knew he couldn't keep up the rouse for much longer.

"And here I was just asking how old you are, Ben." Miri waited for the answer. Ben sighed, marveling that this girl was relentless.

"Thirty-nine." Miri's eyes lit up. She certainly wouldn't have called that. She blushed suddenly when she realized the gravity of her advances. To flirt with the boys her age, when they were still on Tatooine, was nothing to blink an eye at. But Ben, clearly, was in an entirely different class.

"Ah," she said, mockingly, hoping to hide her nervousness "then I suppose you think I'm too young for _you_. I'll be a little harder to convince that you're too old for _me_." Miri began walking backwards, keeping eye contact briefly with him before turning, taking his hand, and pulling him into one of the storefronts. His stomach lurched at her gesture, and he found that he had no desire to break the contact.

What he saw inside was to be expected—row after row of book shelves laden with volumes that looked to range from completely worthless to highly valuable. He had no interest in buying anything for himself, but was curious about what brought Miri into the book dealer.

Letting go of Ben's hand, he immediately approached the counter, where a very rotund, baldheaded man smiled and wordlessly brought out a volume from under the counter. Miri clasped her hands together eagerly.

"I can't believe you managed it!" she said, excitedly. "How much do you want for this one?"

"Ten wupuipi should do." The man winked.

"That little?"

"Call it a faithful customer discount." Miri's face softened, and she pulled the coins out of her coin purse, placing them in the dealer's hand. She thanked him, and turned her attentions on the book shelves she'd no doubt already pored over numerous times.

Ben surmised that Miri felt no great rush to leave there so soon. It brought a small smile to his face.

He followed her around the first shelf, and waited for Miri to turn to him. "What is it?" he asked, in reference to the book.

She showed him, happily. Ben's brows furrowed slightly as he read the title of the volume. It wasn't in Galactic Basic Standard. It was a well-known title, but in Twileki. Moreover, it was a volume of Twileki poetry, which puzzled him just as much.

"Not quite light reading for a bar waitress."

Miri cocked her head slightly, and her eyes seemed to light up. "I told you before—I may be a bar-maid, but I am not a brainless one." She sighed, turning to the volumes sitting on the shelf. She idly ran her finger along the spine of one. "In another time I would have been studying languages at one of the academies." She paused, sadly, not elaborating any further. "But, perhaps with things as they are now, it's a good thing I didn't go."

"I couldn't agree more, Miri," Ben said gravely.

"Still, I can't help but want to keep my skill level up." She drew her bottom lip up under her front teeth slightly, unconsciously. The gesture stirred that feeling in Ben again, and he tried his best to ignore it. "I'm hoping it will come in handy some day."

"Not hoping to make waitressing a career?" Ben asked.

"No," Miriam said rather forcefully. "The cantina is a means to an end. A _temporary_ means to an end."

"I should hope so, Miri," Ben said. "That's not the place for a girl such as yourself."

Miri's stomach flipped. "And what kind of girl would that be?"

Standing so close to Miri, he noted once again what a slight girl she was. Both petite, and at least a head shorter than him. He cleared his throat. "Smart." Ben said confidently. "That much is plain." He chose to leave out the part concerning her force-sensitivity, which would gain her no positive attention in a place like Mos Eisley Cantina.

Giving up on the bookshelves she'd already memorized, Miri led the way out the front entryway back into the thoroughfare. Unsure where else she might take Ben on their walk, she made the left turn that would bring them safely back to her father's stall.

"Where do you live, Ben?" Miri blurted out.

Ben laughed at this. She truly was a curious person indeed.

"What I mean is," Miri said, pushing past his laugh, hoping he didn't find her too desperate. "I only see you once a week for your weekly pickup. Maybe occasionally when you come into the cantina and sit in Jaki's section. You don't live close, do you?"

"No, Miri, I don't." What compelled him to volunteer his place of living, he had no idea. "I have a hut. It's in the Dune Sea."

Miri nodded. "So you _do_ value your privacy, after all, living all the way out there." Miri laughed to herself. "I'm sure I'm quite the broken hologram, then."

"Miri, if the inquiries came from anyone else, I think I'd mind a whole lot more."

This made her smile. A moment of silence passed between them as they were nearing the street where her father's stall was. "What I mean to say by asking is… It's a shame I only get to see you the one time per week."

Ben smiled despite himself. "It is."

They found themselves standing in front of Lee's stall, their walk together at an end. They were now simply delaying the inevitable. Ben held Miri's gaze. "Until next time." At that, Ben slightly inclined his head, bidding goodbye to his newfound friend.


	4. Chapter 4

Obi-Wan spent the remaining days of the week searching for an excuse to make the journey into Mos Eisley, but found that there was little he could come for that would not be transparent to Miri. Still, the evening before his weekly grocery pick up, Obi-Wan found that his resolve softened, and he decided that a drink at the cantina was not anything out of the ordinary.

So, with anticipation, Obi-Wan fired up his bike and made his way to the cantina. When he arrived, he was again struck by the dingy interior, and the foul inhabitants inside. Still, what he was looking for was much more fair than Mos Eisley Cantina deserved. He could not find Miri anywhere, but saw that a seat in her section was open. Taking the opportunity, Obi-Wan sat in Miri's section, looking for her intently. However, the person who tended to him was most definitey not Miri.

A Dathomirian girl approached him with a neutral, professional demeanor, and asked what he'd have.

"Is… Miri not here this evening?"

Obi-Wan could sense the Dathomirian girl tense up. She swallowed before answering. "No. What can I get you?"

Ignoring her persistence, Obi-Wan grew concerned. "Where is she?"

"What's it to you?"

"She's… a friend." Obi-Wan looked around to see if anyone was watching. As was the fashion in Mos Eisley, most people kept their eyes to themselves. He waved his hand slightly at table level, and spoke softly. "You will tell me where Miri is."

"Miri is at home." The girl spoke compliantly.

"You will tell me why Miri is at home."

"Miri was hurt and has to stay home until her face heals. Mal's orders."

Obi-Wan could practically hear his heart beating. He stood, drawing his hood over his head, and left the cantina quickly. The time it took to walk the ten blocks between the cantina and Miri's home seemed like it was an hour. By the time he reached her door, and pressed the call button, he was reaching out with the force, feeling for her presence. He found it, but what he found did not comfort him.

Soon, Lee Gorsa stood at the opened door, looking terribly troubled. It was clear he had been crying at some point in the evening. His expression turned from troubled to confused as he registered the fact that one of his patrons was standing outside his home.

* * *

"Mr. Kenobi, is there something I can do for you? This is rather unexpected," Lee said.

"Mr. Gorsa, I heard that Miri has been hurt, and I came to see her." It was more of a statement of fact than asking for permission.

"Mr. Kenobi, Miriam needs her rest—"

"Mr. Gorsa, I insist on seeing her. Please." He added finally.

Lee considered Ben for a moment, and decided to step aside to allow him to enter his home. Lee wasted no time, and led him into Miri's room, where he found her lying on her bed, looking even smaller than he thought possible. Lee walked away just as Miri's eyes opened to see whose footsteps had led to her doorway. A deep feeling of dread filled Ben's stomach.

He sat wordlessly on her bed, seated next to her own hip, and pulled back his hood. Sitting there, he took in what he saw.

Miri's bottom lip had been split and bruised, and there was an already deep purple bruise that had formed on her left cheek. It too had a cut in the middle of it. Miri closed her eyes, which looked red from crying, and spoke.

"Ben, what are you doing here?"

"I heard you had been hurt, so here I am. Who did this, Miri?"

Miri began to push up with her elbows so she could speak eye-to-eye with Ben, but winced in pain, taking in a sharp breath. Ben put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from sitting up. Searching her eyes for permission, Ben grabbed the top of the blanket that had been drawn up to her chest. There he found no protest, and lowered it to her waist. He hesitated when he grabbed at her nightgown to pull it up, but pushed the hesitation aside as he made sure to keep the blanket still at her hips to save her modesty.

Once the hem was drawn up, Ben exposed her torso just below her breasts, and found that her stomach had taken the worst of the blows. Her ribs were badly bruised, as well as her stomach. Ben felt the anger rise inside him, and it took every ounce of strength to control it.

 _"Who did this?"_ Ben asked, this time more gravely.

"It's nothing, Ben," Miri said, knowing it wasn't. "You didn't need to come."

"I won't ask again, Miriam."

Miri swallowed, closing her eyes. She opened them again, and looked into Ben's. "My father has been having some trouble with the Hutts. They loaned him some money a while back, and he's still paying it back. Their debt collectors wanted to send my father a message."

"How far into debt is he?"

"Not much, anymore. We've paid off most of it. But they are impatient, and the Hutts don't like extending deadlines. We've got this handled, Ben…"

"Clearly you haven't," Ben looked down at her exposed stomach, and lightly touched her skin, moving his thumb along the bottom of a bruise with a feather-light touch. If she weren't in so much pain, Miri might have found enjoyment in his touch, but in this case, it only made her sad. The last thing she wanted Ben to see was her in a weak moment, so frail. Miri grabbed Ben's hand, and pulled her nightgown back down over her torso. She wouldn't let go of his hand.

"We've got three more months before it's paid off. The owner of the cantina won't let me work until I'm all healed up. That might slow things down, but I'll just have to pull extra shifts until then."

"When the debt is paid, you're not going back to work in that deplorable place." Ben's tone betrayed him. His care for her was beginning to show.

"No… I hadn't anticipated doing so. I just have to get through these three months." Miri paused. "I wish you didn't have to see me like this, Ben, but I am glad you're here."

Ben held onto Miri's hand, and used his free hand to push a stray curl of hair off her face. "As am I."

Seeing how much it seemed to pain Miri to even breathe, with the expanding and contracting of her rib cage, Ben began to feel saddened. He wasn't sure how much of his force persuasion would work on Miriam, but he was willing to try. He used the back of his fingers, and traced the side of her face. Using his powers of the force, he said to her, "sleep now."

Miraculously, it worked. Ben figured that it was her sheer exhaustion that had muted her own abilities, and taken her guard down. With her now asleep, Ben set to work at healing her.

He never was very good at this side of the force. He was not much of a healer, but being a Jedi Master, it was part of his training. Pushing aside his own emotions, Ben put his thumb on the bruise that had formed on her cheek. After much concentration, he found that the cut on her cheek was now non-existent. Setting to work on the cut on her lip, he was able to do the same. The swelling had gone down, and the cut had closed. The bruises remained.

Finally, Ben braced himself as he reached again for the hem of the nightgown, which was still around her waist. Pulling it back up to just below her breasts, Ben set eyes on the mass of purple bruises. With her torso exposed, Ben hesitated before laying both hands on her skin. Telling himself it was just to heal her, Ben closed his eyes and focused on her injuries.

He knew she had one broken rib, and two cracked ribs, but for the most part, the bruises to her torso were superficial. Still, it took much concentration and will to heal the broken and cracked ribs. When he had finished, Ben found he was slightly winded, and took a few breaths to steady himself. Contented with the significant improvement internally, Ben forced himself to not go back and heal the bruises completely. He knew that if they disappeared completely, it would seriously endanger him, or her, and raise too many questions. So, he settled for reducing her pain just enough that she would be able to move comfortably tomorrow. The bruises would heal soon enough.

As his work was done, Ben decided it was time to go, and let Miri sleep. He lowered her nightgown again, and drew her blanket back up to her chest. Before leaving, he looked her over. He felt protective of her already, but knew that their continued association could endanger him, her, and maybe even Luke. Still, he felt that he had better keep a closer eye on her too. He knew he was lying to himself when he said that it was simply his desire to do good that guided his decision.

She slept soundly. Though her face was still bruised, Ben's heart hurt at how beautiful she truly was. Before getting up to leave, Ben placed a hand on her hair, and leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. Soon, Ben had entered the sitting room, where he found Lee Gorsa sitting contemplatively in a chair. When he noticed the sandy-haired man enter the room, he stood.

"She is resting now," Ben said, putting the hood of his cloak up. "She will heal in a few days' time. Mr. Gorsa…" Ben hesitated. "It is probably best that after these three months are up, you not do any further deals with the Hutts."

Lee nodded. "It seemed like the only solution at the time. I have failed her as a father…"

Ben shook his head. "No, Lee, you haven't. But her safety depends on what you do to get your business out of the red. If it's alright with you, I would like check in on her over the next few days to see that she's healing."

"Yes, of course…" Lee walked Ben to the door. Lee was desperately tempted to question Ben about his intentions with his daughter, but given the gravity of the situation at hand, he decided it was not the best time. Without a word, Ben Kenobi left the Gorsa home and headed back to his own hut in the Dune Sea, hoping his anger at the Hutts would abate. Now was not the time for him to lose his cool. Still, seeing her the way she was shook him to the core.


	5. Chapter 5

_She was laid out on his bed, clad only in a gauzy shift, looking up at him with a dreamy expression. He knelt down onto the bed beside her, lying on his side. He placed his hand on her stomach and felt her warm skin through the nearly transparent fabric. Miri placed her hand on Obi-Wan's forearm, and ran her thumb over his skin as his hands made his way over her body, feeling through the fabric. The internal struggle within him was strong, but his need for her rivaled the war within him._

 _Miri closed her eyes, and let out a contented sigh as Obi-Wan found the sensitive skin of her breasts. As if flipping a switch within him, Obi-Wan's resolve crumbled, and he leaned down, his face before hers. She opened her eyes, and his stomach lurched when her amber eyes met his. She had the ability to level him with just a look. She put her fingers through his ginger hair, and pulled him the rest of the way down in a kiss. He came up for air, and focused his attention on her neck, kissing the sensitive skin under her ear. It was then that she said his name… "Obi-Wan."_

* * *

He awoke with a start.

Covered in a sheen of sweat, Obi-Wan threw off the blanket that covered him. She'd used his name. His real name. It had been enough to shake him from his dream. And it had been vivid. So vivid, in fact, that he was surprised to find he'd grown hard in his sleep. Running his hands through his hair, he turned and put his bare feet on the hard, stone floor of his hut. He rose from bed and reached a pitcher of water he had on a table nearby. He drank deeply from a cup, and put it back down.

Miri's condition had shaken him, truly. He felt worse, however, that she had started to show up in dreams. He had to remind himself that Jedis don't dream. They are usually manifestations of what has happened, or what has the potential to happen. It was this fact that discomforted him so. He knew there was potential for this vision to come true. The thing that discomforted him even more was not knowing whether or not he wanted it to come true. He feared that his feelings would betray him.

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, just after the second sun had risen, Ben Kenobi pressed the call button on the Gorsa family's door. He was surprised to find that it was Miri who answered the door. Her face lit up when she saw Ben standing in front of her.

"Ben," she said, "you came back."

"Of course I came back, I had to see how you were doing," Ben returned her smile, and stepped inside as she stood aside for him.

"I fell asleep last night; I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. You should have woken me."

Ben smiled to himself. "You needed your rest, Miriam. How are you feeling today?"

The door closed behind them. Miri led Ben into the den, and invited him to sit at their table.

"Better, surprisingly. I think mainly I was just a little bruised. Looks like the Hutts' lackeys aren't as tough as me." She winced slightly as she sat next to Ben at the table, which caused him to smile sadly.

"Miri, I came today not only to check on you but… I need for you to tell me what happened."

"I thought I did, Ben," Miri said, hoping to deflect his inquiry.

"I need to hear everything."

Miri tilted her head. "Why?"

"What do you mean, 'why'?"

"I mean, Ben… Why do I need to tell you? You're not going to go after the Hutts singlehandedly for a silly girl you met in a cantina. So why do you need to know?"

"Humor me," Ben's eyes bore into hers with their blue-gray coolness.

And, with trepidation, Miri recounted everything that happened.

* * *

Miri had finished her shift at Mos Eisley Cantina, and was making her way back to her apartment. Though she had not seen Ben Kenobi for a few days, it felt like she had been walking on clouds ever since. She was so distracted, in fact, that she hadn't noticed that four of Jabba the Hutt's men had followed her out of the cantina. Soon, they had caught up with her, and called at her, causing her to turn around. Before she had time to realize what had happened, two men were upon her, and grabbed each of her arms, pulling her into an alley.

Pushed against a wall, Miri was able to finally see who had her. Two humans, a Twilek and a Zabrak male had rounded on her. Her stomach dropped when she noticed that the Zabrak male was the very one who had tried to put his hand on her the other night in the cantina. She knew this could go nowhere good.

It was the Zabrak who approached her first. The two humans held her against the synstone wall. The look on his face put fear into her. He smiled devilishly as he ran the back of his hand along the side of her face.

"Miri," he said. "How wonderful to finally meet you formally." She turned away from his touch. This angered him, and grabbing her jaw he forced her to look at him.

"Last week you didn't give my coworker what he wanted." Miri looked, and saw that the Twilek in the back was the very one who'd approached her in the cantina. She was able to deflect his insistence she pay her father's debt, but she was foolish to believe that they would stay away for long.

"I'm here to see that my employer gets what he's owed."

"We still have three months," she said, desperately.

"That's on top of the year we gave you in the first place. And I'm here to make sure your father gets the message," he said, moving his hand from her face to her neck, and further down. Her heart beat faster, and her eyes scanned the alleyway for any kind of opportunity to escape. Even someone walking by. But there was nothing.

His hand stopped on her breast, and he grabbed her hard.

"Stop!" she said, pulling at the men who were still holding her.

"What, and interrupt our fun?" He smiled, moving his hand even lower, finding the very opening in her skirt that had drawn his attention the other night. Panic built in her. As he found the apex between her legs, her panic reached full capacity. Again, she commanded the Zabrak to stop, and when he did not, he suddenly withdrew his hand, and drew both of them to his own neck.

He ceased to speak, and grasped at some unknown force. Panicking himself, he looked at Miri wildly, and struck her hard with the back of his hand, causing her to loose her force grip on his neck. Her lip was split. Now free, the Zabrak took this as his opportunity to send his message to Lee Gorsa the indebted grocer.

Striking her once more in the face, Miri cried out, and the Zabrak turned his attentions on her midsection. He landed several blows before he heard a crack, which caused her to scream even louder. She slumped in the arms of the two men holding her, and quickly lost consciousness. One of them picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, and dumped her limp form in front of the door to her apartment. She lay there for another hour before her father, concerned at her delayed return home, left the apartment to look for her.

* * *

Ben seethed as Miri recounted her story. During the moments in which she recounted the Zabrak's sexual assault, Miri had kept her eyes fixed on the table. He was glad of this, because he was sure if she'd seen the fire in his eyes, she would have been afraid.

This left Ben with much to consider. Save for the Zabrak taking too many liberties, the entire attack had gone just about as he had thought it might have. Under grave danger, Miri's force-sensitivity had surged, resulting in her putting a force-choke on the Zabrak. Normally this would have concerned him, but again, as he assumed the girl had no knowledge of her abilities, he could not conclude that this was a manifestation of the dark side. Merely a young girl desperate to defend herself.

"So…" she said, picking at one of the seams on her sleeve. "I fail to see how any of this matters to you." She looked into Ben's eyes, and he could tell that she was holding back tears. She must have been so frightened. The thought sickened him.

"Miriam," he took her hand, ceasing her nervous picking at her clothing. "I am so sorry this happened to you. I am even more sorry that I was not there to stop it."

"You're not responsible for me, Ben," she said, offhandedly. "I can't expect you to walk me home after work every night, now can I?"

"No, I'm not, but in a way, I feel that you need my help." Miri searched his eyes for an explanation.

"Miri…" he continued. "What you did to that Zabrak. Has that ever happened before?"

Miri looked at Ben quizzically. Then, she thought on it. "Not that, no."

"Other things then?"

She was scared, he knew. She had never before told a soul of her abilities. She was afraid she would be labeled as crazy, a freak. He waited for her answer.

"Yes." She spoke so softly, Ben might not have been able to hear her.

"Like what?" Ben still held her hand, gently running a thumb along it to comfort her, and assure her she was safe with him. "You can tell me; your secrets are safe with me."

"You'll think I'm crazy." Ben held her gaze. "I get…" She started. "I get these feelings sometimes. Before things happen. I seem to know what most people are thinking. Or feeling. I'm not sure which."

"Do things ever move on their own around you?"

"I don't know. I don't think so." Miri now looked confused. "Why, Ben?"

"I think they do, Miri. I have seen you do it, so you've done it at least once. And I think you know I'm right."

She swallowed. "You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

"On the contrary, Miriam." Ben became very grave. "You are to tell _no one_ what you can do. You are not to use these abilities in public."

"How can I… not?" she was breathing heavily. "Sometimes I just can't help it."

Ben steeled himself. He couldn't believe he was about to say any of this to her. "I can help you, Miriam." He stood, pulling her hand with him, directing her to stand as well. "But I need you to come with me."


	6. Chapter 6

Miri followed Ben to his hover bike, still unsure if she was doing the right thing. She never felt threatened by Ben, but she worried that her father might find out, and worry needlessly _for_ her. She had indeed been beaten pretty badly by Jabba the Hutt's men, so her father would not have been out of line in his worry. But still, Miri thought that his hesitation might stem from his reluctance about their growing relationship—whatever its nature was.

"We have to be back before 5," Miri warned. "He gets home at 5. I told him I would be fine home alone today, so I can only hope he doesn't choose to check in on me."

"I'll have you back by then. Now hop on behind me, and hold on tight." Ben tapped the seat behind him. "If I'm going too fast, you tell me to slow down, alright?"

Miri mumbled her acknowledgment, and climbed aboard behind Ben. With trepidation, she wrapped her arms around Ben's mid-section. Off they went, further outside of Mos Eisley and the surrounding inhabited areas. Miriam had to resist the temptation to lean her head against Ben's back as they made their journey. She knew this was no romantic liaison. Ben had been very enigmatic about his insistence she come with him to his home in the Desert Sea. This intrigued her, and she followed along.

When they finally reached the hut, Ben dismounted and helped the still-fragile girl off his bike. She managed fairly well, thanks to Ben's discrete healing, but still felt sore from bruising. Ben was careful not to handle her too roughly as she stepped down. She took a moment to find her feet—she had not taken too many hover bike rides in her lifetime, so after holding on so tightly for quite a while, she wasn't quite surefooted.

She followed Ben into his hut silently, pausing only momentarily at the entryway. It suddenly struck her that she was alone, far from home, with a man she hardly knew. Again, knowing deep inside her Ben meant her no harm, she followed.

"Ok Ben," she said, unable to remain patient any longer. "What couldn't you say in Mos Eisley that you had to bring me all the way out here to say?"

Ben set about pulling two chairs close together at his small dining table. He sat, indicating for Miri to do the same. When she sat, her knees almost touched his. She stuck her hands in between her knees nervously, waiting for Ben to speak.

"Miriam, do you know what the Force is?" Ben looked pained as he asked her this question.

Miriam did know about the Jedi. She had heard all about them growing up, mostly the stuff of legend, as Tatooine was far from the Republic. She'd heard that there was one boy from Tatooine who'd been brought to Coruscant to train as a Jedi, but she didn't know his name, and she didn't know if it was actually a true story. All of the stories she'd heard about the Jedi, until recently, had been favorable. But lately, she'd heard people in the cantina speaking of bounties on the heads of any surviving Jedi, who had allegedly all conspired to overthrow the Republic.

"I have heard of it," Miriam said, unsure where Ben was going with this.

"Miriam, it is especially important we have this conversation out here, away from prying ears." Ben leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees, looking down at his own hands. "You do understand why discussing Jedi-related matters could be dangerous, if overheard by the wrong people."

She swallowed. "Yes." She felt as if the conversation was happening with someone else. That she wasn't really there. She knew what Ben was going to say, but still she prayed he wouldn't say it.

"Miriam, I believe you are what they call 'force-sensitive'. You have abilities that come from the force."

She remained silent, so he continued.

"You have enough of it that I feel you could be in danger if the wrong people find out. How much of it you have, I do not know yet. But enough."

"How do you know this, Ben?" She looked at him skeptically, but in her heart she already knew the answer.

"I… have this ability too." Ben would not elaborate.

"Who are you, Ben?" He did not answer. "Are you a—a Jedi? I mean, you can't be." She stood, scooting her chair back a few inches. "Is that why you're out here?"

"Miriam, please sit down, there's nothing for you to be afraid of." Ben grabbed her hand, a gesture that he was becoming all-too-comfortable with giving.

Her heart raced. She felt out of breath. "So, does this mean, I could have been…"

"A Jedi? Yes, I'm afraid you could have been. But you understand now why that is impossible."

Miriam sat, shaking slightly. Ben put a hand sympathetically on her knee.

"What do I do now?"

"You will have to learn to control it."

"And _you're_ going to teach me? You still didn't answer my question, Ben. _Are you a Jedi?_ "

Afraid to give Miriam a straight answer, Ben asked, "What do your feelings tell you?"

"Yes." Miriam said, without hesitation.

Ben swallowed, and pushed on, choosing not to acknowledge Miri's conclusion. "So, in your best interests, I will be the one to teach you to control this. You've already got the attention of some foul people. I don't think I could bear it if the Empire gets word of you. You're not even trained, and still you are in danger."

Miriam came to another conclusion. "And if I draw attention to myself, I draw attention to you."

Ben gave a half smile. "Smart girl. So. Because we can't do this, you will have to come here. Mos Eisley is probably the worse place for us to conduct this type of business."

"When? How?"

"I haven't quite figured that part out yet." Ben rubbed a hand on his ginger colored beard. "You said you'll be taking extra work at the cantina. What will be happening with your work in your father's grocery?"

"My father has agreed to let me work only at the cantina. I make more there. He will be taking on an apprentice of sorts, until we are clear with the Hutts."

"You will come here during the day then."

"My father will want to know where I am. I can't lie."

"No, no I wouldn't ask you to do so." Ben sat with his legs and arms crossed, and smoothed his beard slightly, thinking intently. "You're a student of languages, are you not?"

Miriam nodded. "I _was_."

"You'll tell your father you're coming to me for tutoring. In Twileki."

And so it was decided.

"He's not going to like this idea."

Ben nodded. "I understand that, Miriam, I do. But it is vital that you come. Once per week."

Miri grew quiet for a time. She had a feeling Ben was not being completely forthcoming. Standing, she walked around the inside perimeter of Ben's hut, taking in her surroundings. She held her arms in, and ran her fingers along her still bruised lip.

"You shouldn't touch it," Ben said, suddenly behind her. Miri turned, and looked up into Ben's eyes. Snapping herself out of her daze, she put her hand back down, and crossed her arms. Miri kept her gaze fixed on Ben's chest. Her mind was wild with confusion. She felt overloaded.

"I don't even know where to…" Miriam looked up into Ben's eyes helplessly. "What do I do with this?" She could feel the prickle of tears building up in her eyes. Ben's expression changed to that of sadness, and pity, which pushed Miri over the edge. Blinking, a few tears fell from her eyes. "I don't even know who you are, do I?"

Ben reached up with the back of his index finger, and wiped away one of the stray tears. He desperately wanted to hold her in his arms to comfort her, but his judgement got the better of him.

"I know this is a lot to take on at once. I know you have questions, but I must ask you… Do you trust me?"

"I suppose I have to, don't I?"

"Given the alternatives, I would say so, but I still want to know. _Do you trust me?_ "

Miriam nodded her assent. This enigmatic man before her emitted nothing but positivity, but Miriam still knew that he wasn't being completely honest. She had no reason to assume he would tell her everything, but something inside her told her that, in due time, all would be revealed.


	7. Chapter 7

Obi-Wan had driven Miriam back to Mos Eisley before anyone was the wiser. He had seen her to her door, making sure that she was safely ensconced in her home. He had much to meditate on before their next meeting, but the last thing he wanted was for her to be in any more danger.

He felt a particular foreboding where it concerned training Miriam in certain aspects of the force. He knew that there were considerable risks involved in teaching her to control her abilities, but still he had Luke (and himself) to worry about. He told himself if he limited his teachings to the very basics of the force, any disaster would be averted. And then he could send her back out into the world where she would go unnoticed.

By the time he returned home, these thoughts were so loud that he immediately set to his meditation. When he finally reached the calm state that comes with proper meditation, he allowed his thoughts to drift towards Miriam. Images flashed into his mind. _Her smile suspended in laughter, warm light, Miriam in a seated, meditative position, Obi-Wan tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear_. When he withdrew from his meditation, he considered the images. They shook him to the core.

He knew that force meditation had the ability to show what was currently happening, or what would happen. On its surface, seeing her smile in a vision was nothing to be concerned about. Neither was her practicing Obi-Wan's teaching. His concern stemmed from how these visions made him feel.

He told himself that his feelings were protective. Protective of an innocent girl. _Girl_. He shook himself at the word. She was no girl. She was by all standards an adult, but there were aspects of her force-presence that were child-like. He did not think she was unintelligent or immature. It was her purity that made Obi-Wan reproach himself further. He knew she was intelligent in a way that made others in the Academies look like dullards. But she was so untainted by greed or malice that Obi-Wan often wondered if she really was real.

He knew what his base desires were with this young woman. He was a disciplined Jedi, and knew these feelings were counterintuitive to the Jedi way.

Finding that any of the good his meditation had done was now undone, Obi-Wan decided, running his fingers through his sandy colored hair, that it was time for him to sleep.

* * *

Miri leaned over the exposed innards of the hover car that had sat in the shed behind the Gorsas' apartment, wrench in hand, teetering on the tips of her toes, attempting to reach a difficult spot. She knew exactly which hose had to be replaced, but for the life of her couldn't reach it. She grunted and grimaced as she put more stress on her bruised ribs. At that, her Twilek companion was at her side, and held out her hand.

"Wrench," she said, impatiently. Miri stepped back onto her heels, and grudgingly gave the tool to the taller party. Effortlessly, Jaki reached the hose, and loosened it. While she was about her work, Miri had already grabbed the replacement, and had it ready for her friend when she would need it.

Jaki had dutifully been checking on Miri every few days to see how she was healing. She also had been bidden by the cantina's owner Mal to give reports on how she looked. Jaki had given him a look of absolute incredulity, but still barked Miri's progress at him every time she came into work.

"That bruise on your eye is just about gone," Jaki said, screwing the new hose into its place. Miri hummed her agreement. "Mal wants to know when you're coming back."

"I can't quite wear the uniform just yet without one of these showing," Miri placed a hand on her side. They were still a bit brown, but it would only be another few days before she would be able to pass for healed. Jaki looked at the bruises on her arms as well, and shook her head in sadness.

"I had no idea it was that bad, Miri," Jaki said, still working.

"You saw me the day after, you knew how bad…"

"No, the Hutts." Jaki was no longer working. She leaned against the hover car, resting a hip on it. "I knew you were working extra to help with your dad's business, but I didn't know he was in so deep."

Miri sighed and watched as her friend polished the grease off the wrench with a spare rag. "It just started to snowball. It started as a small loan after my mom died, to help the business. But they kept upping the interest. I dropped out of school when it got really bad."

"Still," Jaki said, "I hope this is the end of it. I couldn't bear to have anything happen to you. Again."

"It's ok, Jak," Miri said, grabbing another part. "We're almost through the woods." She handed her the part that had been scrapped off a junker.

"You still haven't told me why you're fixing this thing," Jaki said, suspiciously.

"You're right, I haven't," Miri said, a hint of a smile in her words. Jaki took the part, and eyed her friend.

"You know, I have ways of making you talk," Jaki said with a slight purr.

"Oh Jak, you know your powers of seduction don't work on me."

"It's gonna kill me if you don't tell me, kid," Jaki said with a chuckle, setting about replacing the next part.

"Well, I…" Miri swallowed. She desperately wanted to tell her friend why she needed to be able to travel to Ben Kenobi's place on her own. She steeled her resolve.

"I still want to go to school for languages, that hasn't changed." She paused. "That man, the one who came into the bar the other night. The one who's always in your section…"

Jaki's head snapped towards Miri. Her mouth hung open, waiting for an explanation.

"He's agreed to tutor me in Twileki," she said, trying to hide her elation.

" _I_ can do that, Miri," Jaki said, scrunching up her eyebrows.

"No, no, I know that…" Miri said, waving her hands. "He knows more languages than Twileki, so it wouldn't be just the one…"

Jaki sighed, and shook her head, turning back to the part that was almost completely installed. "Sounds like an awfully big rouse to get a cute little girl like you into a vulnerable position. You know exactly how men think…"

"He's not like that, Jak," Miri said softly. "A few nights before the attack he… he walked me home. Those guys would have gotten to me that night if it weren't for him."

"You were still beaten to a pulp; I fail to see where he's the gallant knight." Jaki shook her head, and leaned back after the part was fully installed.

"The _point_ is, he has my best interests at heart. It wasn't his fault."

"Fine, fine," Jaki conceded, wiping grease from her hands with the rag. After a moment, she continued to speak. "But… he isn't too hard on the eyes, I'll say that."

Miri smiled as her friend's tough exterior started to melt. She threw her arms around her shoulders. "But you tell me _everything_ , you hear? I want all the sordid details."

Miri pulled back, nodding. She knew she could never reveal her true dealings with Ben, but she wouldn't hesitate to share what things were like with Ben.

She pulled back, and looked Jaki in the eyes seriously. "But Jaki, please don't tell anyone I'm going out there for lessons. The last thing I want is for people to say… Oh, it's just better that no one knows, if I can help it."

"I agree, you little alley cat," Jaki gave Miri a friendly smack on the bum as she walked towards the door and prepared to leave. Miri cried out in surprise, and laughed, bidding her friend farewell.

"Thank you," she said, embracing her friend once more. "Tel Mal I'll be back at work in two days. Double shift to make up for being gone."

Jaki left with a smile, and left Miri alone in the shed with the hover car. Miri climbed inside, and tested the vehicle. It started up instantly, and Miri sighed in relief. Her first instinct was to leave the shed and head straight to the Dune Sea, but she decided against it. She wasn't supposed to be going to Ben's until tomorrow, but tomorrow still felt like forever.

Her heart quickened at the thought of being alone with Ben. She had agonized over the uncertainty of how he felt for her. At times, she felt he wanted her. She knew she had to be right, because he had told her she was "force-sensitive." But other times, she could feel him tempering his desires. It felt a bit like a piece of hot metal being dipped into cool water. He'd done it a few times now in her presence, so it might not have been a fluke.

Miri shook herself as she powered down the hover car. _Who am I kidding?_ She thought. _I'm probably the silliest girl he's ever met. What's more, he probably does indeed think of me as only a girl._

With her feelings and thoughts combating each other, Miri had little success getting a full night's rest. Still, she tried, and with some luck got a few hours of rest before the first sun rose.

* * *

Obi-Wan had risen early, and spent an hour in meditation before the suns had risen. The morning sky was still dark but gave hints of morning approaching. As the first sun rose, he could feel a prickling in his mind, and knew that Miri was awake, and would be at his door soon. He had puttered around his hut performing menial tasks, keeping his mind occupied, when finally he sensed her presence.

Obi-Wan walked out his front entryway, and saw Miri's hover car nearing before he even heard it.

Without a word, Miri powered down the vehicle, and stepped down on her own. Obi-Wan noted that she did not move as gingerly as a few days previously, which pleased him to see. She was clad in practical clothing this morning—sand colored breeches and knee high boots, with a gauzy tunic. Her hair was braided back neatly.

She reached Obi-Wan, and wordlessly he turned and walked back into his hut. Miriam followed, unsure what to say to him.

"How did your father take the story?" Obi-Wan spoke with his back to the young girl, and pulled a teakettle off the small stove. He turned towards her, and poured the hot water into the teapot on the table. After he had placed the hot kettle back on the stove, he gestured for the chairs that they had sat in not three days previously.

Miriam sat. "Uh," she rubbed her neck. "As well as he could have. He knows he can't exactly stop me from doing anything, but his worry is no more unwarranted than any other concerned father. But he knows how important it is to me that I get to one of the Academies one day."

"Right," Obi-Wan sat, and poured tea once it had brewed sufficiently. Having set down the pot, he reached for a modest stack of books in at least two different languages.

"I told you I wouldn't make a liar of you, and I don't intend to. We will conduct our lessons in controlling your… abilities, but we will also study languages."

Miri's stomach flipped. She didn't have time to consider why.

"Oh," she ran her fingers over the spines of the books, reading them quickly. They were volumes she'd never heard of before. "Can you? I mean… I didn't know you spoke other languages than Basic."

"That I do." Obi-Wan's lips pressed together in a thin line. Occupying himself, he grabbed his own cup of tea, and sipped before speaking again. "Now. You will come once per week, as discussed, and we will start our day with our true task, and finish with our language lessons. I need your mind as free from fatigue as possible when we start."

Miri nodded, ever the eager student.

"It's going to get cold if you don't drink it now," Obi-Wan nodded towards the tea.

Miri grabbed her own cup and blew on the steam before taking her first sip.

"It is very important that you use the rest of the week to practice what I teach you here. But you must only practice in the privacy of your own home, do you understand?"

"Yes, Ben, I understand." Miri's eyes searched Obi-Wan. He could tell she was growing impatient. He smiled into his tea as he felt her emotion. _How very like a padawan…_ he thought.

"Once we finish this tea, we may begin. Now, how are you feeling?"

"Better. The bruises, they're just superficial now. They'll be all but gone tomorrow."

"Good."

"I'll be going back to work at the cantina tomorrow."

Obi-Wan swallowed. His jaw muscles flexed slightly. "You mustn't walk home on your own any longer."

Miri wrenched her face slightly, and spoke into her tea. "I don't think it's going to happen again."

"No, it's not, because next time it might be different. Worse." Obi-Wan was gravely serious. His tone was not angry, but Miri could pick up the urgency in his message.

"I can get someone from the cantina to walk me home," Miri conceded, having finished her tea. She sat quietly, and waited for Obi-Wan to finish. His eyes seemed to smile as she sat, and he finished more quickly. He placed the earthenware cup down, and stood, walking towards the center of the hut.

"Now," he said, taking on the tone of the Jedi Master he once was. "The first thing I must teach you is how to breathe."

Miri stood, and the corners of her mouth flattened in confusion. She approached Obi-Wan, and stood closer to him than he'd been prepared for. "I thought I'd been doing alright with that for twenty-one years so far." She looked up at him.

He cleared his throat, and placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to put some distance between them. "One of the most important tasks in controlling force sensitivity is learning to breathe in a deliberate way. It aides in meditation, focus, and discipline."

Obi-Wan began to model the breathing technique. "In through the nose." He gestured for her to do the same. When she'd started, he spoke again. "You must fill your lungs more than you would normally, and empty more as well. Think of your body as a balloon that inflates and deflates from the belly to the chest."

He hesitated. He hadn't when he taught Anakin the breathing techniques. Then again, Anakin wasn't a 21-year-old woman whom he secretly wanted. Shaking himself, he rounded on Miriam and stood at her side. He placed his hand on her stomach. Pushing past the fluttering he felt coming off of her in waves, he began to breathe in sync with her, showing her when to stop breathing in, and when to stop breathing out.

"Good, keep doing that," he said, removing his hand from her stomach. He moved around to her front again, and placed his hands on her shoulders, and guided them down and back. After a few more breaths, Obi-Wan was satisfied that she had the basic breathing down. It was time to teach her the seated position.

"Ok, good. We're going to get into position for meditation." He gestured out the back way, and she followed out to the terrace in the back. It was cut into the synstone, and there was a high wall that was built into the side of a rock face. The ledge of it was wide enough that it would accommodate a person sitting cross-legged on it. Obi-Wan had spent many mornings meditating on the ledge. It had a perfect view of the dune sea behind the hut.

"We'll sit there," he said, pointing to the ledge. Miri wasted no time, and pushed herself up onto the ledge without Obi-Wan's help, and twisted so she sat on the ledge. Obi-Wan smiled as he followed suit, and crossed his legs in front of Miri. Mirroring his actions, Miri crossed hers as well, and gave Obi-Wan an anticipatory look.

"Hands must be in a comfortable position. That can be on your knees, clasped in your lap… so long as it does not become a distraction."

Miri tried both to see which suited her. She decided upon clasping her fingers together and resting her hands in her lap. She silently awaited Obi-Wan's instruction.

"Now we must continue our breathing technique. As we breathe, we must let go of all negative emotion. The idea of meditation is that you reach a higher plane than thought. You focus on feeling rather than thinking."

"How do you simply 'let go of all negative emotion'?"

"Focus on your breathing. At first it may be helpful to find an image to picture in your mind. Something that calms you. Eventually, you will not need it." Obi-Wan smiled. He had missed being a teacher, admittedly.

"Now, lets focus on our breathing. Close your eyes as well…" Obediently, Miri followed Obi-Wan's lead.

After nearly twenty minutes of meditation, Obi-Wan was beginning to read her emotions more clearly. He felt her unwavering desire for him, though he thought she might not have been thinking about it at that very moment. He found it distracting and intoxicating at the same time. He had stopped meditating in earnest for a few moments, and used this moment to give her more instruction.

"Okay," he spoke quietly. "As you meditate, I want you to feel out your surroundings. Do not open your eyes. You do not need them. Feel what is around you. Trust your feelings. Once you have a gauge for your surroundings, simply continue to meditate." And so, Obi-Wan watched as Miri took in a slightly bigger breath, and set about her new task.

Having given his instruction, Obi-Wan allowed himself to watch Miri.

Her face was illuminated by the early morning sun, and Obi-Wan could see the freckles on her face that had emerged after twenty-one years in the sun on Tatooine. Her long eyelashes curled and fanned out on her cheeks. Her features were very child-like, save for a few things that betrayed her age. She was shapely in a way that every young woman came to be at some point, but it seemed even more feminine because of her petite stature. But more than any of these features, it was her lips that made Obi-Wan feel weak-willed. Her lips had a slight pout, and Obi-Wan felt a pull in his stomach as his eyes rested there. He always found himself avoiding looking at them for too long, lest he betray everything he had held onto until now.

Before he could get any further in his daze, he heard the sound of rocks rubbing against each other, which snapped him awake. He looked to his side, and found that two rocks the size of a man's head had begun to levitate. He looked upon the rocks in awe, and looked back at the meditating girl.

He knew she was force-sensitive, but he was only now beginning to feel how deeply that sensitivity ran. He knew that if she had been born in the realm of the republic, she would have been found by the council, and made a fine Jedi.

Not wishing to break her concentration, Obi-Wan sat back and watched as the girl unconsciously reached out and levitated the rocks. He thought that she was much like a plant that didn't belong in Tatooine. She and her abilities had been crying out for more than this harsh planet could give. Given the slightest encouragement, Obi-Wan could see that her abilities would blossom. He admired her greatly for it.

"Ben," she said, her voice soft. "How am I supposed to know if I've actually found what I think I've found…?"

He smiled. "That feeling inside you, Miri, I want you to hang onto it. But open your eyes."

Slowly, Miri complied, and met Obi-Wan's gaze. He looked to his right, and rested his gaze on the levitating rocks. When Miri followed, she gasped. The rocks fell instantly.

"I did… Did I..?" Miri stammered, looking from Obi-Wan to the now fallen rocks.

"Yes, Miri, you did very well, although this was not our goal." He uncrossed his legs, and jumped down from the ledge. "Now, I think this is all we will do for the day; we should move on to your language studies." He looked up at Miriam, and held out his hands as she slung her legs over the wall.

She considered his hands. "You might be a little lightheaded after your first meditation," Obi-Wan said, knowing that the girl had tapped into an energy he was sure she'd never felt before. After a moment, she nodded slightly, allowing him to place them just under her arms. She rested her hands on his shoulders, and allowed him to assist her in the dismount. When her feet met the stone floor, her vision blurred slightly, and she swayed.

Obi-Wan held tightly to her, and allowed her to tighten her grip as her vision reverted to normal. She chuckled. "You weren't kidding."

"Have you got it now?" he asked, wishing somewhere deep down that she would say no and give him an excuse to hold her a little while longer.

"Yes, thank you," she said, and smoothed a hand subconsciously over her hair. She walked back into Obi-Wan's hut and thought with a wince about how she'd come onto him a little hard in the past. That was before she knew his age. Before he'd seen her badly beaten. She had a bold streak, but often she agonized about the things she said after the fact, and came to regret them. It was only a few times that she believed he reciprocated her feelings, but now she couldn't be sure. The slight touches, the looks, they all were so unevenly spaced that it made her wonder. Her own experience with the local boys, before they all left, was not enough to gauge what was going on with Obi-Wan. They were boys, and no boy had ever made her feel this way—so completely vulnerable, yet so completely safe.

In an effort to hide her red face, Miri sat at the table where the stack of books still rested, waiting to be opened. She rested her elbows on the table, and didn't look back at Obi-Wan until he was seated next to her. He reached forward, and grabbed the top book. He opened it, and was about to speak before he sensed how tense she'd grown.

He turned his head to her pensively. "Miriam? Is something the matter?" His tone was not accusatory, but inside he knew.

Her heart was beating faster now. Their casual contact outside had been enough to render her weak in the knees. She was finding it harder and harder to be around him and not touch him. The very thought that she would have to conduct such lessons without being distracted by him was too much to handle. Unable to stand his gaze any longer, Miri stood up and crossed the room to stand just in front of the space heater, arms drawn about her.

"I don't feel very focused, Ben," she said to the man behind her.

"You did very well," Obi-Wan said, still seated, watching her. "It was only your first lesson in meditation."

"First of how many?" she asked, no more than a whisper, to the space heater.

"What's that?" Obi-Wan's voice came from right behind her. She jumped slightly, and turned to find Obi-Wan almost towering above her.

She struggled to find her voice. "First… of how many?"

"I don't quite catch your meaning," Obi-Wan said, lying through his teeth.

"I'm sorry Ben, but…" she said, pulling her hand up to the braid that was down to her shoulder blades. She pulled it to the front self-consciously. "I don't know how many lessons I can take."

"Surely it wasn't that hard, Miriam," Obi-Wan said, still eluding the conversation he knew was about to happen.

"Ben," she said, in exasperation, and looked up to the circular stone ceiling. "I am a good student. _I am_. I got top marks when I was still in school. But I find myself more distracted than I've ever been. And I don't know that I'm going to be a good student because of it…"

"Well, I wouldn't be a very good teacher if I didn't ask what I can do to help you focus." Obi-Wan looked down sadly at his would-be padawan.

"I don't know that I can ask you for what will help me focus. I would have hoped it would have been abundantly clear…"

Every part of Obi-Wan cried out to touch Miriam. Still, he afforded himself only the slightest touch, and reached for the lock of hair that was now resting on the side of her face, placing it behind her ear. "It _is_ clear. It comes off of you in waves."

Miri turned into Obi-Wan's hand, and closed her eyes. His stomach hitched, and he couldn't bring himself to draw his hand away. He laid his fingers on her hair just behind her ear, and smoothed it slightly. He took one step closer to her. They were now just inches from each other. He watched as she struggled in deciding what to do. He too was afraid to act on his feelings. Miriam surprised him, however, by placing her hands on his chest, which was eye-level for her.

Grabbing his tunic gently, Miri gazed up into Obi-Wan's blue eyes, and said to him very tentatively, " _Ben_." It was an invitation. One that Obi-Wan could not ignore any longer. He closed the very small distance between the two of them, and lowered his head to kiss her.

His lips met hers, and it felt as if there was fire inside his chest, and he would burn up instantly. He rested both hands behind Miri's head, and her neck, and cradled her there, kissing her deeply despite the voice that sprang up inside him, telling him to stop. His training, and his time as a Jedi Knight, all was thrown to the wayside as he kissed this waifish girl.

Miriam's insides turned to jelly, and she felt faint. The kiss was sweet at first, but when she gave the slightest sigh, it drove Obi-Wan to delve deeper, and run his tongue along her lips. They parted, and she held onto Obi-Wan's tunic at his waist for dear life. Their breathing picked up, and the two of them let go of the tension that had built up between them over the weeks they'd become acquainted.

As Miri let out a small moan of satisfaction, Obi-Wan made a sound that he wasn't quite sure he had made. He'd never made a sound like that before. It was pure, driven desire, and he feared that if he didn't stop kissing Miriam now, the two of them would self-destruct. So, painfully, Obi-Wan broke the kiss, and leaned back, gazing into Miriam's now hazy amber eyes. She looked from his eyes to his mouth, still wanting more, but Obi-Wan rested their foreheads together and allowed the two of them to breathe.

There, with Miriam in his arms, Obi-Wan was consumed with thoughts of what this meant for him. Could this be something he allowed himself to have? Or would he stick to the code, and eschew all romantic love? Truly, Obi-Wan had always thought that since marriage had been allowed to Jedi at times, there was a right way to approach romantic love without jeopardizing his beliefs as a Jedi.

Since the Sith only thought inwardly, and selfishly, covetous love was dangerous, and the path to the dark side. That had been Anakin's folly. He had always secretly thought, however, that since part of being a Jedi was being selfless, there too was something selfless in pure, unadulterated love. To love someone was to be truly selfless, he always thought.

Shaking himself, he sighed, and broke their silence. "This shouldn't be something we do," Obi-Wan said.

"Why?" Miriam snapped out of her daze, and sharpened her gaze on Obi-Wan.

"My kind," he said, vaguely. "We don't…"

" _Didn't_ ," Miriam concluded. She'd heard enough about the Jedi on Tatooine, even as far from the Old Republic as it had been. She knew they were essentially monks in a way. But they no longer existed. She'd gone over this in her head since she learned what her new friend Ben had been before coming to Tatooine.

"Still," he said, shaking his head. "I still don't know what I… _If_ I should…"

"Well, I'm not going to try to convince you, Ben." Miriam suddenly had become defensive. She backed away from Obi-Wan, her ego having been bruised. "I thought that this was something you'd wanted to do."

"—it _was_ , Miriam—"

"I guess it's lost its appeal now that the veil has been drawn back?" she continued to back away, and gazed at the books that were still on the table.

"You know, Ben, I don't think today's such a great day for Twileki poetry. I'm sorry if I've upset your…" She couldn't find the word she was looking for. "I'll just go."

"Miriam, please, wait."

Miriam put on a face that outwardly looked nonplussed. "Don't worry, Ben, it's fine. I'll see you next week, I guess, if you still want to be my teacher."

Obi-Wan had followed Miriam to the door, and she reached her hover car. He watched in sadness as Miriam retreated, hurt. He'd been misunderstood. "Yes, Miriam," he said, trailing her. He didn't quite know what to say to stop her. He stood there, hands on her hover car as she closed the door beside her, and started it up. She gave him one more longing look, during which time he still said nothing. His mouth gaped open slightly, and Miriam shook her head, and smiled ironically to herself, and drove away, leaving Obi-Wan behind her, chastising himself for not stopping her.

* * *

 **AN: Thank you guys for being patient. I worked on this chapter for a while, knowing it couldn't be rushed. It was a busy week at work, but I promise you'll have more chapters soon.**

 **SerendipityAEY : Thank you! I really appreciate you saying that. ; backseatgoodbyeislife: Same goes for you! I'm glad you're liking it. ; Graceful Gravity: Wow, what a nice compliment. I'm glad someone picked up on my perspective changes. I just feel like it's the best way to switch perspective without changing the narration from third person to first person. I have never liked writing in first person.**


	8. Chapter 8

Her hands shook as she walked into the front door of her home. She unclipped the communicator device from her belt, and set it down on the kitchen counter. Miriam made a beeline for her bedroom in the back of the home, and closed the door behind her. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, her shaking hands found their way to her hair, and busily undid her braid before she rubbed at her forehead. She felt like a complete fool. She'd been overconfident. She had no reason to believe a man like him would have room in his heart for her. She paused with her hand over her mouth, remembering his kiss, before remembering the fact that she still barely knew Ben.

She shook her head, and chastised herself. "Silly, stupid girl…" she said, quietly into her hand. She half smiled in incredulity at all that replayed in her mind. She hadn't been wrong that Ben wanted to kiss her too. She just hadn't anticipated he would reject her. She squeezed her eyes shut at the thought that she would eventually have to face him again for their next lesson.

 _Unless of course I don't go back for more…_ she thought. The idea was very appealing. It certainly would spare her from further embarrassment and heartache. But deep down she knew it wasn't the answer. She had to get a grasp on what it was that she had inside her, lest it crept up and got her into some hot water.

Every time she thought of facing Ben again, her stomach doubled over in knots. Knowing she would get no real work accomplished if she tried to meditate again, or if she even studied her books that sat gathering dust, she decided that she would try to put herself to good use in some way, and headed for her father's stall in the market.

She walked, wringing her hands the entire time, itching to do something to get her mind off of Ben. When she reached her father's stall, she stopped dead in her tracks. There before her sat her father, and behind him stood his new apprentice. She had known he would be there, but she hadn't anticipated he'd look at all the way he did.

He was tall, with shaggy, wavy jet black hair, and green eyes. He looked straight at Miriam and smiled. Miri couldn't find her words. She had imagined his apprentice would be… older. More bookish, like her father.

"Lee, is this Miri?" the young man spoke.

Lee, looked up from his books, and the page that he was reviewing with his new apprentice, and his eyes glinted with a smile.

"Yes, but I had not anticipated her back so soon," he said, setting his reading glasses down onto the book, and standing to kiss his daughter on the forehead. Miri cleared her throat, and walked into the stall.

"Sorry, Papa, I just finished early and wanted to come lend a hand. I'm not due at the cantina until tomorrow afternoon."

"Very well, but I think Bastien and I have things fairly well covered, don't we?"

"I could always stand to learn a few things from anyone who's worked as a grocer's assistant," Bastien said, smiling broadly.

Miri smiled uncomfortably at the vote of confidence.

"Well, Miri, I'll just be going over the books here with Bastien, but there's cleaning to do in the back." Miri nodded and set about her task.

She cleaned for nearly a half hour, keeping half an eye on this young man and her father. She watched as her father smiled often, and laughed at the things Bastien said. Miri tried to swallow the suspicion that was rising inside her, but she could not tackle all of it at once. Trying to remember Ben's instruction, Miri began breathing deliberately, and tried to picture something that calmed her. The image she chose was the landscape behind Ben's house.

As she finally began to feel her emotions in check, she was roused from her concentration by a hand at her elbow. She jumped, and turned to find Bastien's smiling visage towering over her.

"I'm sorry, Miri, did I startle you?"

Miri forced a half smile, and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Oh, it's fine. I was somewhere else."

Bastien stood, holding Miriam's gaze. "I haven't had a chance to formally introduce myself." He held out his hand. Miriam took it obligingly.

"Bastien Forrel," he said. "I'm pleased to meet you. Your father has been very kind these past few days. I thank you for loaning him to me."

He was trying to be nice. That was what Miri told herself. She took back her hand, which he was still holding, and put it back to work at arranging the prickly, purple fruits in front of her. "Of course," she said. She couldn't think of anything better to say, so she stayed quiet.

"I was sorry to hear about what happened to you at the cantina," he said. He grabbed one of the purple, prickly fruits, and tossed it from hand to hand.

"Oh, uh…" Miriam stopped her arranging, and set her hands on the table. "It's fine. I'm fine."

"Good," he said. He still wasn't leaving. Miriam stood there, and when he didn't say more, she abandoned the fruit trays, and went to the jars of herbs further back in the tent. He followed. With her back to Bastien, her eyes widened. She was beginning to regret coming to the stall at all today.

"So, I hear you're a studying languages," he said, still behind her.

"Uh huh," Miriam said, looking back at Bastien, and scanning around as if to find an escape. She quickly registered her father's poorly hidden eavesdropping. She could have sworn she saw him smile.

"I think that's really interesting. I was never much one for schooling, except for arithmetic. I have always had a head for numbers."

Miri drew her lip under her teeth, and shook her head slightly. She was being rude. He was being strangely friendly with her, but still she was being rude.

"I enjoy learning languages. I hear enough of them in the market. Before I started school I already knew three."

"I'm impressed," Bastien said. He seemed relieved that Miriam was speaking more cordially with him. "So you're getting lessons from Ben Kenobi?"

"I am," Miriam tried to hide her flushing face.

"I hear he's some kind of a hermit. What's he like?"

Miriam bristled at hearing him called a hermit, especially in that tone. She gritted her teeth.

"Soft-spoken. Incredibly smart." Miriam felt her face fall. "Kind." She turned on Bastien. "If you'll excuse me, Bastien, I think I've got a headache coming on. I think I'll just retire for the day. Get out of your way."

She turned to leave, when Bastien grabbed her arm. She turned slightly, and looked from Bastien's hand to his green eyes, which bore into her pleadingly.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sure he's a great teacher."

Miriam put on her best smile, and shook her head. "That's fine. I'll just go now, though…"

Bastien let go, and watched longingly as the slight girl all but tore out of the Gorsa Grocery stall.

He approached his mentor, hands on his hips, and shook his head. "Well, _she_ hates me."

Lee Gorsa chuckled, and slapped the young man on the arm. "Don't let it worry you. She'll be right as rain in no time. My Miri is good about getting her wits about her."

* * *

Miri found herself back in her kitchen, every sense screaming at her. All she wanted was to get into her hover car and to go to Ben, but still she stopped herself. Standing there, unsure what to do with herself, her heightened emotions proved to be too much for her to handle, so she poured herself a glass of the table wine her father kept out, and sat deep in thought for the rest of the afternoon.

She was slightly buzzed from the wine by the time her father returned home, and found her turning the bottle absentmindedly. He took off his cloak, and sat down at the table next to her, and grabbed the hand that was twirling the bottle.

She looked up at him through hazy eyes. She didn't know what to ask him.

"Want to tell me what you're doing drinking alone here during the day?"

"The suns are setting," Miriam said, putting the glass to her lips and drinking.

"That's not what I mean. It's not like you."

"I don't know dad. I guess I'm not feeling very much _like myself_ ," she shot the words at him with ice.

Lee assessed his daughter's demeanor. He wrenched his face. "What's wrong?"

Miri shot him a warning glance. She didn't answer the question. "Bastien seems _real wizard_ , Papa."

"He's a nice young man, Miri." He said, trying not to grow impatient with his daughter's intoxication.

"I'm sure," Miri said, softly. "Very _personal_ young man, isn't he?"

"No more than you can be, Miri. You're a beautiful young woman, and I'm not surprised that he seems to like you. I seem to recall you recently becoming very personal with others in this way."

"Is this about Ben?" Miri asked with a chuckle. "Do you _disapprove_ , Papa?" She shot back the rest of the wine.

"And what if I did?" Lee's tone was no longer obliging. "What if I thought he was far too old for you? And your lessons out there in the Dune Sea are hardly proper for a young lady like you?"

 _"A young lady like me?"_ Miri was surprised to find that she was standing now. "Where do I _work_ , dad? Does a girl like me work in a place like Mos Eisley Cantina?"

"You wouldn't if I had any say about it."

"Well, you don't, dad, because it's what's going to get the Hutts off our backs, in case you've forgotten _them_."

Just as the words fell out of her mouth, Miri regretted them. She could feel her father's hurt emanating off him in waves.

She spoke, hoping to heal the hurt. "I don't mind working there dad. I don't mind what people say or don't say about me. I don't worry about my prospects, as I'm sure you do. It's a means to an end. I do it because I love you, and because regardless of what anyone things, I'm capable of helping in this way."

Silence passed between them.

"I don't think you have to worry about Ben, dad," Miriam came to her father's side, and kissed his forehead.

"I don't, do I?"

Miriam ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know, dad. No. He's just… my teacher. Please don't read too much into it." The admission saddened her. She hated to hear it out loud. It made it more true.

She suddenly became too tired to continue their conversation. It might have been the activity for the day, or it might have been the table wine, but all the same, she shuffled off towards her room, and stopped at the doorway.

"Dad, we're almost through the worst of it. I will be done at the cantina soon. I just need you to allow me to make these decisions and not judge me for them. Can we make that compromise?"

Lee rose, and met his daughter at her door, and kissed her cheek before admitting defeat. "I can make that compromise."

Lee left his daughter at her bedroom, and retreated to his own. In a flash, Miri had closed her door, and was stripping layers of clothes and boots off before she pulled her blanket about her, and fell asleep in the dimly lit room.


	9. Chapter 9

Everything that had happened the day before played over in Obi-Wan's mind. He sat pensively with his cloak drawn about him, overlooking the Lars family moisture farm, agonizing over every word that had passed between Miri and himself. After he had played the morning over so many times in his mind, he began to assess _why_ it had happened.

He had been too stubborn and pigheaded to act upon every feeling that his body was screaming at him. He knew he was right when he thought of how, given the circumstances and the status of the Jedi Order, taking up a romantic interest was probably the least offensive thing he could do as a Jedi. He had never felt jealous in his intentions with Miri, so it had never truly felt wrong. He did indeed believe that he could reconcile his beliefs in the force with his feelings for Miriam. But still, he stopped himself. He was mostly sure it had been fear that had stopped him, and forced him to speak so unclearly.

And then, there was her damned rash conclusion. He had not spoken clearly, true, but he was on his way to explaining to her that though it was completely unorthodox, he was not going to stop himself. He felt silly, but he had meant to ask her to be patient with him. His fumbling had lead to her completely misreading him, and by the time she had left his hut, it was too late to cool her down. Or at least he thought it was.

So there he was, the next afternoon, still unsure of what he should do. It would be another two days before he was due to pick up his weekly supplies, but even then, Miri would not be at the grocer's stall. She would most likely be at the cantina. So, with this in mind, Obi-Wan found himself returning to his own hut, contented that all was well with the Lars family and the boy Luke. When he was home, he holstered his light saber to his belt. He secured his tunic and robes around himself to conceal the weapon he would not leave his hut without, despite the risks of being caught with a Jedi weapon.

* * *

Before the first sun had set, Obi-Wan once again entered the Mos Eisley Cantina, and sat in Miri Gorsa's section. He had felt her presence since he parked his hover bike, and knew she was in a solemn mood. This pained Obi-Wan, and he made it his mission to get her alone to clear the air. He chose to ignore that he was nervous in his pursuits.

There he saw her, carrying a tray on her shoulder, laden with empty glasses. She was setting the tray down to unload it, when she looked up and met Obi-Wan's apprehensive gaze. Immediately, he could feel her emotions oscillate between embarrassment, to worry, to sadness, and all the way back.

Not wishing to anger her already-testy employer by refusing to see to a customer, Miri wiped her hands on a bar rag, and made her way to the expectant Obi-Wan. As usual, when Obi-Wan was around her, Miri's heart rate quickened, but still, she pressed on, and stopped just before the booth he occupied.

"What can I get you, Ben?" Miri asked, mutedly.

Obi-Wan sat quiet for a moment. "Keela," he said, simply. He would not reduce himself to groveling just yet. In a few moments, she returned with a glass. When she set the glass down, she'd hoped to turn and get back to work without any more conversation, but she found she wasn't going to be that lucky.

"Miriam, please stay a moment," Obi-Wan asked.

"I've got to work, Ben," she said, biting the inside of her cheek. Still, with some shred of hope in her heart, she stayed.

"I know. I had to come and speak with you. How we left things yesterday, I couldn't stand it if I didn't explain what happened."

Miri looked around the bar, and found that, if anyone was listening, they sure weren't making it obvious.

"Do we have to have this conversation now? Here?"

"Are you telling me we _can_ have this conversation, just somewhere else?"

Miri swallowed, and looked back in Obi-Wan's direction, still not meeting his eyes. "I can't quit working right now, but in about twenty minutes, I have a break. Can you wait that long?" She finally looked him in the eye. There was sass in the question, for sure, but Obi-Wan knew there was no fire behind it.

"Yes."

Miri nodded, and left Obi-Wan on his own at the table. Obi-Wan watched as a blue Twilek waitress spoke quietly into Miri's ear. Miri shook her head, and refocused her energies on the tray of empty glasses she was bussing. The Twilek girl, seemingly unsatisfied with the answer her human friend had given her, turned towards Obi-Wan, and shot him a warning look. She polished a glass with such intensity that Obi-Wan thought it might shatter in her hands. Unsatisfied with the work she was doing, the Twilek girl sat the glass down, looked around the bar, and walked towards Obi-Wan.

When she reached his table, she smiled falsely. "Is everything ok over here, Mr. Kenobi?"

"Yes, thank you."

This time, the Twilek spoke softly, so no one could hear. "I don't know what you did to her, but you better fix it or _so help me_ …"

"That's what I'm here for," Obi-Wan said. He watched as the Twilek blinked in satisfaction. "With any luck."

"Good." She flashed her smile again, and raised her voice to keep up the rouse. "You just let Miri know when you want another one of those, ok dear?" She turned and walked away before Obi-Wan could respond.

He had to smile. She was well liked by the staff here, that much was clear. Obi-Wan admired the Twilek's fierce protectiveness of her friend, despite that fierceness being directed at him.

Several minutes later, Miri had stopped by his booth to tell him to pay, and meet her out back in five minutes. Obi-Wan complied, and was waiting for her when she showed up, arms crossed.

There, in the dusky light on Tatooine, Obi-Wan, the great negotiator of the Jedi Order, found himself unable to speak.

"Ok," Miri said with a sigh. "I'm here, and I only have about ten minutes before I have to be back." Her eyes bore into Obi-Wan.

"First, I must say I'm sorry," Obi-Wan stepped closer to Miri. "I shouldn't have said those things yesterday. I was including you in my own struggle, and I shouldn't have done that."

Obi-Wan raised a hand as Miri opened her mouth to object. "Before you say anything, please know that I misspoke yesterday. Yes, what happened goes against everything I was ever taught. But in the last six months, I have been forced to reconsider what the faults of my teachings were. And I truly believe that this is one of those aspects of humanity that should never have been denied to my kind."

Miri shifted her gaze from the floor back to Obi-Wan, who had stepped even closer. She wasn't sure she had heard him right.

"Do you mean to say that…"

"That I should have stopped you from leaving?" Obi-Wan looked down at the girl who still had her arms drawn about her. He put his hand on one of her arms, and gently pulled at it until she complied. With her hand in his, Obi-Wan placed it on his chest just above his heart. Keeping it there, his other hand brushed her hair behind her ear. "Yes, Miriam, that's what I mean to say."

Miri opened and closed her mouth a few times. Her jaw tensed slightly. She kept her gaze fixed on her hand, which was underneath Obi-Wan's, resting on his chest.

"What do you want from me?" Miri managed. She shook her head after the words escaped her. "I don't mean it that way, but…" her eyes pleaded with Obi-Wan's. She didn't know how to ask the question that was inside her.

He smirked, and took a breath to steady himself. "I would like, Miriam, if you would still allow me to be your teacher. I would like to know you, in whatever way you will allow me to. I make no promises for now, but you must know that your presence in my life is very wanted."

Obi-Wan waited for Miri's response.

"Unless your feelings have changed since yesterday," Obi-Wan added with a wry tone, hoping he was wrong.

"They haven't, Ben," Miri managed to say. "You had every right to be hesitant. I just wish that I hadn't—"

"Miri! The table of four in your section is getting rowdy, they…" Mal, the Mos Eisley Cantina owner had burst out into the alley, looking for his missing employee. He trailed off as he took in the sight before him. He cleared his throat. He bristled at his employee cavorting with a patron in the alley, but gave her a silent pass since she'd chosen to conduct her business away from the prying eyes of the other patrons.

Miri took her hand back from Obi-Wan, and took one step back.

"Sorry, Ben, I've gotta take care of this," she said, walking towards the back entrance. "But I'm glad you came," she said, her eyes full of meaning. "Will you be here after…?" She was hoping he would be here after she got off work.

Obi-Wan blinked heavily and nodded without a word. Satisfied, Miri gave a contented smile and returned to the interior of the cantina. Obi-Wan stood there, and the two men gauged each other.

Obi-Wan rubbed his hand over his beard in a gesture that had become a habit. It wasn't quite the meeting he'd hoped for. He sighed and sized up the rugged man who employed Miri. He had a scruffy face with five-day-old stubble, and a tousled mop of brown hair. He looked harsh on the outside, but Obi-Wan sensed no threat from the man. The two men had adequately looked over the other, and the bar owner decided his business was far more important than the man in his alley.

Obi-Wan spent the next few hours walking the streets of Mos Eisley, stopping at different merchant stalls that were open past sunset, and stopped to listen to a street band. When he had made a full walk of one of the thoroughfares of Mos Eisley, Obi-Wan made his way back to Mos Eisley Cantina.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Miri began to slow down at the cantina. She'd been engrossed in her work, and slowly was able to start transferring tables to the Dathomirian girl who took over her shift. She hadn't even noticed that Obi-Wan had been in the bar for half an hour, sitting in Jaki's section so as not to distract Miri while she worked.

When she finally stopped to catch her breath, a bar towel slung over her shoulder, she picked up on a familiar feeling, and looked in Obi-Wan's direction. There he sat, spinning his half empty drink, and waiting for Miri to get off work so he could walk her home. She had been dying to get to the end of her shift so she could finish the conversation that had been interrupted by Mal.

So, having caught Obi-Wan's eye, she gave him a knowing look, and finished up her tables, collecting her tips for the evening before she wrapped her cloak around herself. She said her goodbyes for the evening, and slipped through the maze of tables and booths towards the door.

When she got to Obi-Wan's table near the door, he was already standing, ready to walk with her.

Miri welcomed the night air once they were outside. She hated being cooped up in the dank cantina for double shifts. There were too many foul odors mixed together at once.

Miri looked at Obi-Wan, and they began to walk without a word passing between them. Unable to stand the silence, Miri blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

"You didn't have to stay."

"Ah, very seldom does anyone have to do anything," Obi-Wan said in his teacher's voice.

"You know what I mean," Miri said, drawing her cloak about her, now unsure what to do with her hands.

"Well, there was nothing pressing for me to attend to back at my hut, so I would have much rather spent my time here to see that you make it home safe."

"Ben, I can't expect you to walk me home every night," Miri said, shaking her head.

"No, you can't," Obi-Wan had stopped walking. He grabbed Miri's hand tentatively. She turned back and faced him. "But if there are nights that I can, I will." He now looked at her gravely. It wasn't more than a week ago that Obi-Wan had seen the extraordinary young woman in front of him so badly beaten he had to restrain himself from seeking out her attackers. The corner of his mouth twitched when he brought his other hand up to touch her bottom lip, remembering her injuries.

The streets were empty. Miri felt Obi-Wan's hand tighten on hers, slightly interlacing his fingers in hers.

"Fair enough," Miri said, suddenly very self-conscious. It had only been a few hours since Obi-Wan had admitted to her that what happened the previous day had been a mistake. He hadn't made any romantic overtures, that was sure enough, but it had been enough. Now that Miri had a captive audience, it would seem that she didn't know what to do with herself.

Obi-Wan sensed her nervousness, and decided to continue their walk to her home. He pulled her along, still holding her hand. Miri held onto Obi-Wan's arm contentedly as the older man brought her safely home.

When they stood outside her door, she turned on Obi-Wan and looked up expectantly into his eyes.

"Will I see you when you come get your supplies the day after tomorrow?"

Obi-Wan's heart swelled. He smiled coyly. "Would you _like_ to see me?"

"Ben, I think you know the answer to that question," Miri breathed.

Obi-Wan stepped closer to her, and leaned down to close the distance between them. "Then see me you shall," Obi-Wan said softly before kissing Miri. It didn't last long, but it was enough that it made Miri lightheaded when the two of them parted. Her insides seemed to heat up another ten degrees.

"Ok," Miri brought the tips of her fingers to her lips, as if to hold his kiss in place. She gave him one final chaste kiss before opening the automated door. "Thank you for walking me home."

"You are most welcome," Obi-Wan said, turning and walking away once his pupil was safely indoors.


	10. Chapter 10

It was two o'clock in the morning when Obi-Wan arose, drenched in sweat. His robes clung to his body, causing him discomfort. Rising from his bed that was built into the wall, Obi-Wan shucked the top layer of robes so his chest was now exposed to the night air.

It wasn't abnormally hot for a Tatooine night. Obi-Wan usually kept his temperature fairly regulated, but tonight was different. He rose and poured a pitcher of water into a washbasin, and splashed water on his fevered face. Once he dried his face, he sat on the edge of his bed, and assessed how he felt overall.

Since being in Mos Eisley two days before, Obi-Wan had felt run down, and more tired than usual. He wrote it off as standard exhaustion from his long days of watching over the Lars farm, coupled with his excursions into Mos Eisley. But if he was being honest, Obi-Wan knew neither of these things were enough to cause him to feel the way he did.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat, which had become sore, and hurt when he swallowed. He knew he should brew some tea, but found that he was too tired to do even that. In defeat, Obi-Wan lay back on his bed and accepted his miserable fate. He hoped a few more hours of sleep might be enough to shake what ever it was he had, but soon, Obi-Wan would find that he wasn't that lucky.

* * *

Miri had been expecting him all day. She kept her eye trained on the front entrance to the cantina most of the day, but still, Ben Kenobi had not come into her bar. She had no choice but to store this worry in the back of her mind as the customers came at a steady pace. She couldn't afford to be distracted. However, as soon as her shift was over, and still Ben had not shown, she raced off towards home to seek out her father.

It was six o'clock in the evening when she was off work, and by a quarter past six, Miri was clamoring into her apartment, calling for her father.

"Papa?" She looked about the apartment, and found her father seated at the dinner table with Bastien, the grocer's apprentice. Miri stopped in her tracks, and swallowed. His presence in her home unnerved her, but she didn't have the time to consider this.

"Yes, dear?" Lee asked, beaming.

"I uh… Did Ben Kenobi come by today? For his supplies?"

Bastien cleared his throat, and looked at his hands, which were clasped in his lap.

Lee Gorsa sighed, and rose from the table, where he and his apprentice were sharing a meal. "I hadn't expected you home so early."

"I only had a single shift today, not a double. The double is tomorrow." Miri's eyes darted suspiciously from her father to the dark-haired man seated at their table.

"Ah," Lee nodded, kissing his daughter's forehead in a greeting. "In any case, your friend did not show up today to pick up his supplies. It is no matter, it will be waiting for him tomorrow."

Miri stood there, watching her father sit back down to his dinner with his apprentice. She considered her words before she chose to speak.

"Papa, I have to go out there to make sure he's ok," Miri wasn't asking for permission.

"Miri, I am confident that Mr. Kenobi can take care of himself. There is probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for why he did not show up today."

"You don't know that," Miri said, uneasy having this conversation in front of her father's strange apprentice.

"I don't see how it's of any concern to you, Miriam. You will see him at your next lesson." Lee began to grow impatient.

Miri looked from Bastien to her father. Shaking her head, she grabbed the communicator device resting on the kitchen counter.

"I'm going out there. I will bring his supplies, but I have to check on him. It's not like him to not show up."

"Show up? Show up where?"

"He said he'd be somewhere, and he wasn't." Miri was now securing the device to her belt. "You'll have to excuse me, Bastien, my tutor is a very punctual man, and it would be wrong of me not to check in on him."

"It is nearly dark out," Bastien calmly reasoned with Miri.

"There are a few hours left before the suns set. I thank you for your concern, Bastien, but I am afraid I would feel simply awful if I did not try to make sure my friend is alright."

Bastien smiled. "You have a good heart, Miri."

Miri nodded her thanks. "Papa, I promise I will come back before nightfall. I have my communicator. I think the range is wide enough, and I should be able to reach you. I'm losing precious daylight, so I will just be off." And with that, she left her father sitting in defeat with his apprentice.

* * *

Ben's throat felt swollen. Swallowing was painful for him, but water was just about the only relief he felt from the pain. His hair was damp with sweat, and he lay completely undressed in his bed, with only a thin sheet to cover him. He had spent the majority of his day in bed, with the occasional break to relieve himself, and to get more water.

He desperately wanted to dress himself and speed away to Mos Eisley—he was supposed to meet with Miri after picking up his supplies pack for the week. But even he, in his damnable wisdom, knew that he was in no shape to travel. So, he resolved to meditate and attempt to heal himself. He had attempted several times, but still found that he was too weak, and nearly passed out each time. This was something he was just going to have to ride out. And it was killing him that he couldn't do anything about it.

At this particular moment, Ben Kenobi had fallen asleep, and didn't hear when a panicked young woman walked through the front entrance to his home with a basket in hand, calling his name.

Miri's heart skipped a beat when she saw the diminished form on the bed in front of her. She gasped when she saw her teacher, pallid looking and feverish, sleeping on his bed. She set the basket down, and approached the bed, kneeling beside him.

"Ben?" Miri's voice was soft and soothing. She placed the back of her hand on his cheek to feel his temperature—it was unbelievably hot. Like he had a sunburn. He began to stir at the touch.

"Ben?" Miri asked again, this time stroking his sweating temple, smoothing back his hair, which clung in strands. His eyes opened, taking on a glassy quality, and took a moment to focus on the person in front of him.

"No, no," he said, bunching his eyebrows together, and placing his hand on her forearm. "You shouldn't be here."

"No?" Miri asked, in mock surprise. "And why's that?"

"I'll get you sick," Ben propped himself up on his elbow. Miri suddenly became aware of how naked Ben was, just under a thin sheet. She swallowed, and forced her eyes from his exposed chest back to his fevered face.

"What are your symptoms?" Miriam asked, ignoring Ben's protestation.

"Aside from what you see, my throat is on fire. And I can't hardly do anything without draining all of my energy."

Miri nodded and hummed. "Open your mouth." She knew what she would find.

"What?"

" _Open_." Miri stared Ben down. Finally, he complied. Miri hissed in sympathy as she saw what she had been sure she'd find.

"You, my poor Ben, have Sand Sickness." Miri cradled his face in pity. Ben laid back, unable to prop himself up any more. He grumbled.

"And you don't have to worry about getting me sick; I had it as a child, so I can't get it again." She gave a half smile. "But you—you clearly haven't spent enough time in the Outer Rim to catch it."

"The Republic had vaccinated children so much that the vaccines no longer were necessary by the time I was a child, I'm afraid. I thought Sand Sickness had all but disappeared."

"You'd be wrong there. Especially if you've been cavorting around in Mos Eisley as much as you have. I'm surprised you haven't gotten sick sooner." Miri stood, putting her hands on her hips. "But! It's no matter, because you have a survivor here to care for you."

"Survivor?" Ben's eyes widened. He winced at how loud he'd spoken, causing him pain.

Miri chuckled. "Aw, no, it's a joke, Ben. You'll get over it. But it _is_ actually important that it gets treated, otherwise it can turn into a worse condition, which is harder to recover from."

She stood, and grabbed the communicator device at her belt. She held it momentarily, deliberating. Taking one look at the pathetic Ben, she knew what her decision had to be. She pressed the button on the device.

"Papa," she said. "It's Miri."

Lee answered. "Yes, Miri, is everything alright?"

"… yes, but I am afraid I am going to have to break my promise."

"What promise is that?" Lee's voice filled with dread.

"I have to stay out here. Ben has come down with Sand Sickness. If I don't stay here, his condition could worsen. And you know what that could be like."

"Miri, you are not responsible for him!"

Ben sat up completely, and extended a hand to Miri. "He's right, you shouldn't stay, it's almost dark."

Miri frowned, and swatted his hand away. "I'm not papa, you're right, but it's the decent thing to do. I am perfectly alright, and I will be back in the morning. Ok?"

"Have I got a choice?"

"Not really, but thank you for asking." Miri smiled, and said her goodbyes to her father over the device. When the connection was broken, she set the device back on her belt. Without a word, Miri set to wetting a rag with water from a nearby basin, and set it on Ben's forehead.

"Ok, keep this on here. Have you got any liron root? I'm sure it's a long-shot…"

"No, I haven't."

"Ok," Miri sighed, rubbing her temple. "Keep that compress on there 'til I'm back."

" _Back_?"

"The rocky cliff behind the hut. It may have the root growing there. Sometimes it grows in rocky areas."

Ben moved to stand, but realized the only thing he had on was a thin sheet wrapped around his waist, and stopped to tuck it about himself. "There are sand people out there, Miri, and I can't protect you like this."

"You won't have to." Miri said, putting her hands on his shoulders. "I won't go far. Now, lay back down…"

Ben grudgingly complied, and rested his head back on the pillow, holding his compress to his head. "If you're not back in a half an hour, I'm coming after you."

"Just put some pants on first if you do, ok?" Miri called over her shoulder, exiting the hut in search of the plant that would put Ben on the road to recovery.

* * *

Ben was woken up by a gentle hand pressed on his chest. He smiled in relief as he felt Miri's hand, and held it with his own. He opened his eyes, and found her sitting on the bed, much like he had done for her when she'd been attacked. In her other hand, she held a cup of steaming liquid.

"Ok, Ben, sit up."

Ben sat up as much as he could. Miri helped him drink the hot tea by holding the cup herself. As soon as the medicinal tea hit Ben's tongue, he grimaced. Miri gave him a look.

"The whole thing." She said simply. Ben complied, taking the cup in his own hands, emptying it, and handing it back to Miri.

"That is terrible," Ben said, sputtering after the whole thing was finished.

"It is," Miri said, "I'm just sorry you have to do it every hour for the next twenty-four hours."

"Oh, you must be joking."

"Oh, I won't joke when it comes to keeping you alive, Ben."

"I am very lucky to have you to care for me," Ben said, amused. Miri gave him a quizzical look. "No," he added. "I really mean that."

Miri's false warning gaze softened into a smile. Miri instructed Ben to rest while she got a change of linens. She pulled a towel out, and dropped it on Ben's lap.

"I know you may not feel like it, but you've got to get cleaned up while I change your linens. We can't have you sleeping in drenched sheets. That tea should start to bring your fever down, so you won't sweat as much. Now, off with you."

Miri turned to allow Ben to wrap the towel about himself and retreat into the small refresher.

Miri tried not to think of the elephant in the room as she stripped the bed linens, and replaced them with fresh ones. She looked about the hut, and tried to work out where she would sleep while Ben rested. The best answer she'd come up with was the plush looking chair that had throw blankets on the back of it. It would have to do.

When Ben returned, he had thrown on a pair of brown linen pants, comfortable enough to sleep in, but modest enough that he would no longer make Miri blush so. He had seen her unease at his near nakedness. Ben had hoped she was nervous rather than put off. He wasn't exactly reading her emotions as well as he could, given his current physical state.

He padded barefoot into the main room, toweling off his clean hair.

"Better?" Miri smiled, turning down the linens for Ben to get back in.

"Yes." Ben sat back on the bed, not wanting to lay down quite yet. Miri sat next to him, and placed a hand on his forehead, and moved it to his cheek, checking his temperature.

"Still warm, but after a few more cups of liron tea, you should be on the mend. But you have to rest. Otherwise the good the tea is doing will not take."

"Yes, doctor." Ben's head hit the pillow, and he continued to watch the girl with whom he'd become so enamored. She had walked a few paces to the lounge chair, and sat there, interlacing her fingers, and crossing her leg, eyes on Ben. She had set a book on the arm of the chair, and opened it. Ben noted that it was one of the books he had intended to study out of with Miri a few days previous.

She smiled, and bid Ben to close his eyes, and started to read. Ben did as he was told, but still spoke, interrupting her reading.

"Say them out loud, that I might hear. So I recall, I owe you a lesson in language."

"That you do," Miri said, turning a page. "I don't want you to get yourself worked up with teaching."

"I just like to hear the sound of your voice," Ben said with a sigh. "Plus, it's good practice." He was sure he would fall asleep again soon. Sure enough, he was right, but this time it was to the calming sound of Miriam Gorsa reading Twileki poetry aloud, no louder than a gentle hum.


	11. Chapter 11

Her eyelids had become heavy. She had been struggling to keep them open for several minutes, and it was then that she realized she'd read the same poem several times over, not really comprehending the meaning of it at all. Ben had long since been asleep, so she had stopped reading aloud. Miri closed the book, telling herself that it would just be a quick cat nap before she had to wake Ben again for another cup of the tea. Before she knew it, however, she had dozed off, and her book was slipping from her hand.

It fell to the floor with a dull thud, causing Ben to awaken. The sound had also roused Miri from her doze. In surprise, Miri rubbed her eyes with one hand while picking up the book with another.

"Oh," Miri said, seeing Ben awake. "I woke you. I suppose it is time for another cup."

"Splendid," Ben said with a croak.

Miri smiled as she rose to the tea kettle that had been resting on the space heater. After she poured a fresh cup, she brought it to Ben, who had risen to a seated position, with his feet planted on the floor.

"It gets stronger the longer it brews, but it's better that way. More effective." She handed it to him. "Don't say I didn't warn you.

Ben threw back the tea in one gulp, hiding his look of disgust. He already was feeling better, he had to admit, even though his throat still felt swollen and sore. He didn't feel nearly as run down. Miri took the cup from him and brought it back to the table for the next dose, when it was time.

"The chair isn't comfortable at all," Ben ventured. "I would feel just awful if you were uncomfortable at my expense."

Miri tucked her loose hair behind her ear, smiling nervously at the stone floor. "The chair is fine, Ben. Besides, you need your rest."

"Oh, rest I shall," Ben said with no hint of a lie. "But… and don't think me imprudent or improper… the bed can fit two. It's not a terribly comfortable fit, I know, but I would be remiss if I did not offer."

Miri stood mere feet from Ben, arms crossed. She bit the inside of her cheek pensively. "I wouldn't want to… I don't want you to think—"

"Think what?" Ben gingerly stood, still weak from the fever. "That you are trying to take advantage of me? If I can even stay awake…" Ben smiled, and placed a hand on Miri's upper arm. "I can see how it might give you pause, but I assure you, I just want you comfortable."

"Thanks, Ben." Miri instinctively placed her hand on his forehead again to feel his temperature. She moved the hand from his forehead to his bare waist, pushing him gently back down to the bed. "I told you if you exerted yourself the tea won't work. So stop standing."

Ben sat in defeat, sighing and looking after Miri as she busied herself with cleaning. She gathered the linens that had been soaking, and took them out back to cool in the night air. Ben watched as she hung them on a clothesline, illuminated in the warm light coming from the hut. She was stalling. Ben knew it, and she knew it.

She knew that it would have had completely different implications had Ben been well. She'd never slept in bed with a man before. She'd had a beau here and there since she was a teenager, but nothing had become too serious. This night she was paralyzed with fear—fear of the feelings that were so close she could almost touch them. After the sheets had been hung, she shook herself, and walked back into the hut determined to put her fear behind her.

Ben had laid back down on the bed, and had closed his eyes. Miri approached the bed, and quietly pulled her boots off, climbing into the bed behind Ben, sandwiched between him and the wall.

As Ben felt the mattress give behind him, he smiled, turning to his caregiver. Her face was strained, and she stared straight up at the ceiling of the alcove bunk. Her breathing was hitched, and her hands were resting on her chest, just above her heart.

Ben turned so that he was on his side, facing the nervous girl. He placed the tips of his fingers on the side of her jaw, gently turning her to face him.

When their eyes met, Miri thought her chest would burst. He leaned forward, fingers still gently touching her jaw line, and kissed her. As they kissed, Ben thought he couldn't believe how completely right it felt to do so. He had never thought this would be a feeling he could be afforded.

Miri tentatively brought a hand to Ben's exposed chest, and felt his overheated skin, and blondish chest hair. Feeling that the activity might be too much for him, Miri broke the kiss, and propped herself up on her elbow, allowing Ben to rest his head on his pillow. She took his hand in hers, and brought it from her face back down to his own chest, where she held it. Placing sweet kisses on his lips intermittently, Miri looked warmly into Ben's eyes. With a sigh, Miri put an end to her kisses, holding Ben's blue gaze.

"What you're doing for me. Thank you."

Miri smiled sadly. "You did the same for me. I… I know what you did for me. I'm just sorry I can't do that for you."

Ben sighed, looking upwards. "I had hoped you wouldn't remember."

"I don't," Miri said, in awe. "But Ben, I know my ribs were broken, or at least cracked. I know because I broke a rib once when I was about thirteen. Silly kid stuff. I was a rowdy child, and I kept company with boys." She paused to appreciate Ben smiling, no doubt picturing her as the tomboyish child she was. "But I sense that you healed me."

"You have more potential than I initially thought. I can't believe I didn't notice it until our lesson. I haven't exactly been… myself."

Miri looked into Ben's eyes and deliberated. She said nothing.

"What is it?"

Miri's mouth gaped open, and eventually she spoke. "I don't even know what you being _you_ is like."

"How do you mean?"

"You know how, Ben." Miri's heart slowed, ironically. She had never felt more comfortable having this kind of conversation with someone. Though she was admitting how little she knew of Ben, she knew enough about what her senses told her about him. She knew he was undeniably good-natured. "I won't ask now, but I'm going to want to know more about you. And I know you're probably going to tell me that it's safer that I not know. But Ben, you told me the other day that you want to know me in whatever way I will allow. Can you blame me for wanting the same?"

Ben sighed, running his hand through Miri's hair, which was nearly falling in his face.

"I suppose I can't. I am not only trying to protect you, Miri. There are others whose safety depends on my discretion. And until I have trained you further, there are going to be questions you have that will go unanswered. I must ask you to be patient."

Miri nodded, placing a kiss on Ben's lips. "That's a tall order. For anyone else, I might object." She smiled as Ben blinked sleepily. " _Now_ you must sleep, alright?"

Ben hummed in contentment as Miri laid her head down next to his, and rested her hand on his chest. "Yes, doctor." Before sleep overtook him, Ben wondered how through all the pain he had endured over the last six months, he could find such a promising glimmer of happiness.


	12. Chapter 12

_Obi-Wan's skin felt as if he had been dipped in boiling water. The air on the planet felt as if it would have melted his skin, but alas, it hadn't. The flow of lava had swelled, and if he did not abandon the suspended piece of debris on which he found himself, he surely would perish. But it was not only the lava that had threatened to cut his life short._

 _In the events that would follow, his life might as well have been cut short. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. He force jumped to higher ground when the opportunity presented itself, and there he stared down at his former padawan. He had never seen Anakin's face so full of hate, and Obi-Wan had been there for all the years of Anakin's tempestuous youth._

 _He urged Anakin not to follow him. Every part of him pleaded with Anakin. He did not want to strike him down, for to do so would be to cut out a part of himself. As his friend force jumped, and followed, Obi-Wan struck the fateful blow, leaving Anakin dangerously close to the molten lava._

 _"You were the chosen one!" Obi-Wan bellowed, fighting back his tears. "_ _It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. You were to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness."_

 _Anakin's eyes burned with rage. "I hate you!"_

 _"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you." There was that word. Love. A word which carried such controversy with the Jedi, and yet still Obi-Wan had come to love the boy as his own brother._

 _Anakin's clothing had caught fire, leaving him to writhe in agony. Obi-Wan couldn't look any longer. Unable to end Anakin's life, he turned, and decided that if it was the will of the force that Anakin die, it would not be because he killed him, lying there on the ground. He grabbed Anakin's light saber… He began walking away… He had finally allowed himself to cry, when suddenly Miriam's voice echoed in his ear…_

* * *

"Ben?" Miri called from somewhere, far away. She kept calling him, pulling him closer back into reality. Her hand was rested on the side of his face. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and saw the clearly shaken girl, whose face was still heavy with sleep herself.

"Ben, it's only a dream." Her thumb brushed away tears that had fallen in his sleep. "You're here. You're with me."

Obi-Wan took a calming breath, finally taking inventory of his feelings. He had been dreaming about Anakin. It was a fever dream. He was ill, and Miri was taking care of him. He was not on Mustafar. He was in bed. Miri's presence immediately began to put him at ease.

"What was I saying?"

"You kept saying the name Anakin," Miri kissed the spot where a tear had streaked his cheek.

"I did…" Obi-Wan sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair.

Miri had risen from bed, and hastily poured another cup of the liron root tea. "Here." She handed him the cup, and he dutifully drank from it.

"I know what fever dreams can be like," Miri said, taking the empty cup with a knowing glance. When she returned the cup to its place on the table, she returned to bed, and laid back down beside him. Some time passed between them before either spoke.

"You don't have to tell me anything."

"I'm not sure you would want to know such things." Obi-Wan pulled Miri to himself, leaning his head against hers as she settled into the crook of his arm. "I'm not sure you're really aware of how pure you are."

" _Pure_?" Miri looked up at him in surprise. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Could he be referring to what she thought he was? She fumbled to find her words. "How can you…? I mean, how in the world would you come to such a conclusion?"

Obi-Wan took in a large breath. "When I'm around you, it's just a feeling. You have such a goodness about you, I scarcely believe it. I would hate to have you burdened with such tragic tales."

"Ben," Miri placed a hand on his chest, closing her eyes and relishing in the feeling of his skin against hers. "In case you don't remember, I was recently beaten to a bloody pulp. I think I have seen my fair share of tragedy."

Obi-Wan pressed his lips to the top of Miri's head. "Even so. I want to spare you from as much as I can. There are things that are my burden to carry. Unloading them on such a soul would be a crime."

"I think you would be surprised by what I can endure."

Obi-Wan smiled into her hair. "I know."

Neither of them said another word, and soon they were back asleep, safely in each other's arms.

The morning came a few hours after Obi-Wan had awoken in the middle of reliving the worst moment of his life. Miri had risen before Obi-Wan, and was brewing more tea out of the remaining roots. He felt infinitely better, no doubt thanks to the liron root tea, and certainly to Miri's vigilant care. He sat up, and was about to stand, when he realized it was morning… and that brought on a certain biological reaction to increased blood flow. Suddenly he wasn't in such a rush to stand, so he sat with his sheet drawn about his waist. He smiled and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he watched Miri thoughtfully go about her task.

What he wouldn't have given to pull her back into bed to take advantage of the situation in which he found himself. He imagined her, straddling him as he sat there, kissing her deeply… he had to stop himself as these images came to his mind, as it definitely wasn't helping. Within a moment, he was able to stand, and walked to Miri, who jumped when he touched the small of her back.

"Oh!" she turned and smiled at him. "You're up. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to you." Obi-Wan leaned his head down, and gave her a chaste kiss.

Miri melted into the kiss, and sighed in contentment. She pulled back to speak. "You're still to take it easy, do you understand? Bed rest."

"Alright, alright…" Obi-Wan kissed her cheek, and sat at the nearby table. He watched as Miri twisted her messy bed hair into a low bun, and secured it with a strip of leather ribbon. He could get used to seeing this every morning… "Leaving me, are you?"

Miri frowned. "I have to. I'm sure my father is just beside himself to begin with; I had better come back this morning as promised."

"If you must…" Obi-Wan smiled. He couldn't hardly wipe that smile from his face the rest of the morning. Miri left fairly soon after that, but not before telling him to stay in bed, or at the very least stay seated, and to drink the tea, no matter what.

Obi-Wan stood outside, still shirtless, towering above Miri as she was about to get into her hover car to return to Mos Eisley.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I've got that double shift today, and you are absolutely _not_ to leave this hut, or you'll have to answer to me."

Obi-Wan flashed a cheshire grin down at Miri, and tilted his head down. "Maybe that wouldn't be so bad." Miri giggled as Obi-Wan kissed her, causing him to grow slightly hard again, and this time it wasn't from sleep.

* * *

Miri pulled into the back alley of her apartment at a decent enough hour. She rushed into her apartment, not expecting her father to be seated at the table, waiting for her. She stopped in her tracks, and the smile, which had been plastered on her face since leaving the Dune Sea, disappeared.

"Oh, dad, you didn't stay up the whole night, did you?" Miri approached her father.

"No," Lee said in a sigh. "I did, however, want to be here when you came home. I'm a father, and I worry."

"I know, dad. I'm sorry, I just couldn't leave him like that. Sand Sickness can turn into Red Fever if left untreated." She sat beside her father, who was drinking tea. He poured her a cup.

"You're such a caring person, Miri. You care with your whole heart. If people didn't know you, they might think what you did last night was something completely different."

Miri's forehead scrunched up in frustration. "Dad, only you and Bastien now. Unless there was a newsletter about it, I think I'm fairly safe from making the gossip column."

"Yes, Bastien and I."

Miri sipped at her tea, mulling over the statement. "Well… _you_ know I'm not like that. You can't be concerned about what _Bastien_ thinks."

"Oh, but I am, Miri. I had to assure him you were just such a selfless person that you would do that for anyone."

Miri grew anxious. "Why would you have to do that?"

Lee removed his spectacles, and rubbed his eyes. "You're twenty-one, Miri. You're a lovely girl. Men are sure to notice this, as I am positive Ben Kenobi has… but unless you weren't aware, most of your peers have left Tatooine."

Miri's breath started to pick up. She repeated herself. "Why would you have to worry about what Bastien thinks?"

Lee looked at his daughter in pity and sorrow. "I worry about you, Miri. Once this mess with the Hutts is behind us, and I am old enough to retire… With your mother gone, there's no one left to care for you."

"Papa, I can care for myself." Miri's eyes were ablaze with confusion.

Lee stood, and looked at his daughter. "All I'm asking is… Keep an open mind."

"Father, in case you hadn't noticed," Miri flattened her hands on the table. "Ben and I are growing closer. I care for him, and I know he feels the same."

Lee nodded his acknowledgment. "I am aware of this, dear, but… You still know so little of this man. Just keep him at a distance. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I appreciate your concern, father, but I am perfectly content with how things are progressing with Ben. He is a good man." She could feel her anger bubbling up. She willed herself to calm down.

"Alright, dear, alright." Lee stroked the side of his daughter's head, and kissed her hair. "All I asked was for you to keep an open mind, is all. I cannot control your actions. But just know that there are young men out there who would be happy to have you."

 _Young men like Bastien_ Miri thought. Her father left the apartment to meet his apprentice at the stall, who had opened for him that morning. She sat in silent anger, chastising herself for not seeing it sooner. She knew her father would never arrange and force a marriage on her, but her father also clearly did not approve of Ben Kenobi's attentions. She felt betrayed. She felt like she was being treated like a child. Putting Ben's teachings to good use, Miri forced herself to meditate in her room before the start of her shift in a few hours.

With luck, the feeling of anger had passed, and she felt a sense of clarity. Her father was playing the concerned parent, but with time, Miri was sure that he would come to see her Ben for the wonderful man that he truly was. She continued to practice her meditative breathing until, a few hours into her first shift at the cantina, the only thought in her head was the serenity that accompanied her thoughts of her teacher.


	13. Chapter 13

Owen Lars surveyed the horizon as the suns rose. He was looking for something in particular. Or, rather, someone. Months ago, Owen had noticed a hooded figure some distance from his farm. He did not need to approach the stranger—he knew exactly who he was. The Jedi who had brought him his nephew, by all accounts the boy he could consider his son, had kept a watch over the Lars family. At first, Owen was sympathetic and understanding. Anakin had been a troubled young man. It must have pained Obi-Wan greatly to have lost him.

But Owen could not identify with the man beyond a certain point. Owen appreciated the man's actions, he truly did. But a few months back, when some Tusken Raiders had stolen some vaporators, Obi-Wan had acted on Owen's behalf, and acted quickly to retrieve the stolen machinery.

He had dealt with them intelligently, avoiding indiscriminate killing. Having cut the clothing from the sand people and exposing their skin, which was a taboo in their culture, Obi-Wan proved himself a force to be dealt with. The sand people henceforth gave Obi-Wan little trouble. Owen had been appreciative, but coupled with him watching over Luke the way he did, Owen couldn't abide by it any longer.

This morning, Obi-Wan had not showed. He had thought if he showed up, Owen would confront him there, but it was no matter. Owen made the trip to the hut that he knew Obi-Wan occupied. As the hover car approached the hut, Obi-Wan met him outside, standing barefoot, but wearing his robes and breeches. Obi-Wan's expression turned to alarm—Obi-Wan had been expecting someone, but not Owen Lars.

Owen powered down the hover car, and got out, approaching Obi-Wan's hut.

"Owen, is everything alright? Is Luke alright?" Obi-Wan crossed his arms.

"Yes, everything is fine," Owen waved a hand. "I came to talk to you… May I come inside?"

"Yes, of course," Obi-Wan stood aside, allowing Owen to come in. Obi-Wan followed.

"You look like hell, Obi-Wan," Owen said, looking around the hut.

"Sand Sickness," Obi-Wan said simply.

"I'm glad to see you're on the mend. That can be a serious illness."

Obi-Wan put the kettle on the fire, making a pot of water to brew tea for his guest. After he had done this, he turned to Owen, and cut through the pretense.

"What's this about, Owen?"

"The sand people. What you did… we can take care of ourselves."

"That may be true, but I have Luke to think of."

"Exactly. That's all you seem to do. I know you come and watch over the farm, Obi-Wan."

"Ah," Obi-Wan bowed his head. "I am sorry if this is discomforting, Owen, but my intentions are to protect that boy with my life."

"Obi-Wan, when you brought the baby to me, I became his father figure. He's a baby now, but what's going to happen when he's older?"

"What do you expect me to do, Owen? You know who the boy is. You know what it could mean if the Emperor learns of his existence. He could fall to the same fate as Anakin. Only death awaits on the dark side."

"Then you haven't heard?" Owen swallowed.

"Heard what?"

"Anakin—Vader. He's…he's alive. I heard some smugglers speaking of him at the market when I was bringing my stock to sell."

Obi-Wan brought his hand to his mouth, rubbing at his facial hair. So Anakin hadn't died. But he'd been badly burned. Obi-Wan couldn't imagine what condition Anakin was in, and what lengths the Emperor had gone to to preserve his life. The thought made him sick.

"Then there is all the more reason for me to watch over the boy."

" _No_ , Obi-Wan… You mustn't draw attention to us. If anyone in Mos Eisley starts talking about 'that old hermit Ben Kenobi, he is always lurking around the Lars place', well… our cover is blown, and the boy truly is in danger."

" _Obi-Wan_?" a feminine voice came from the entrance of the hut. Obi-Wan's mouth gaped as he beheld Miri, standing in the entrance, confusion wracking her face.

"Miri," Obi-Wan approached her, desperate to explain himself. "What did you hear?"

"Enough. _Who is Obi-Wan_?" Miri shrank from Obi-Wan's touch at first, but still Obi-Wan took her hand in his. It took every ounce of strength for her not to jerk it away.

"Who is _she_?" Owen asked defensively.

"Miriam Gorsa, she's… she's my pupil." Obi-Wan's eyes pleaded with Miri as if to say _don't leave_.

"Pupil?" Owen wanted an explanation.

"Yes, Owen, she's… she's force-sensitive," Obi-Wan held his hand up to Owen. "If I don't teach her to control her abilities, it could draw the attention of the Empire. Which, as you know, is dangerous." He shot Owen a knowing look.

"Because of _Luke_ ," Miri uttered the words with fire.

Obi-Wan looked at Miri sadly. He had hoped to spare her from this. "Yes."

"I think you owe me an explanation."

"Yes, you do that, Obi-Wan," Owen concurred. "And while you're at it, I don't want any of this to reach Luke. The boy stays out of it."

"Yes, Owen, you have my word, but I _must_ have some knowledge of how he's doing."

Owen's jaw clenched momentarily as he considered Obi-Wan. "You'll have it. Just on my terms. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be off. Sort this out, Obi-Wan." Owen rushed past Miri, and left in his hover car.

Alone with Obi-Wan, Miri looked at him through the eyes of someone who felt utterly betrayed. Her feelings for Obi-Wan remained, but she had no idea how to rationalize them, knowing that she hadn't even known Obi-Wan's real name until now.

"I should have guessed it," Miri shook her head. Obi-Wan still held onto her hand. "Why would you have used your real name? What a silly thought." Miri was on the verge of tears.

"Miri, I can explain everything." Obi-Wan pulled at Miri's hand to guide her further inside. She resisted, and pulled back.

"Don't touch me!" Miri's breathing was ragged.

Obi-Wan planted his feet in front of Miri. He wasn't going to let her run off like last time. He put his hands in Miri's hair, looking down into her amber eyes, which had welled up. Tears had finally fallen. Miri did not pull away.

"Miriam, I will tell you everything, I swear it." His heart ached seeing her in tears.

Miri's tears fell silently, and she grabbed onto the sides of Obi-Wan's tunic.

"What ever you feel in me, what ever you sense… the man I was to you yesterday, I still am today. You must believe me. I never meant to deceive or hurt you."

Miri took a few calming breaths, and finally caved. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Obi-Wan's chest. Grateful she wasn't running away from him, Obi-Wan sighed and held her tight.

"No more lies," he heard her plead against his chest. "I can't do this if you're not totally and completely honest with me."

Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut for a few moments. "No. I'll tell you everything."

* * *

 **AN: To those of you commenting on the two chapter updates- you make me laugh! I'm glad you're appreciating the updates. I'm working really hard to write more. Mostly because I'm participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and you're supposed to have written a novel or story totaling 50K words by November 30th. I'm a little behind, so I'm trying desperately to catch up, and you all are reaping the benefits. As always, your reviews are so appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 14

Miri sat in shock on Obi-Wan's bed. Her arms were rested on her knees, and her glassy gaze was fixed in the general vicinity of the floor. Obi-Wan stood, arms folded, a hand pensively pulling at his beard. He watched as Miri digested all that he had told her.

Miri worked to conceal her slight shaking. She flexed her hands a few times, and ran them nervously through her hair.

Finally, she spoke. "I understand why you didn't tell me everything. I knew there were things you weren't telling me, I just didn't expect… _so much_." Miri pulled her hands out of her hair. "For me to have known you as 'Ben' for all this time, only to find out you couldn't even tell me your name… It's _so much_ all at once."

"I know." Obi-Wan's eyebrows were drawn together. He still could not read her.

She lifted her head, and finally looked at Obi-Wan.

"Will he be looking for you?" She was referring to Anakin. Darth Vader.

"There still is much to be seen with this new… Empire." Obi-Wan said the word with a particular disdain. "I don't expect the Outer Rim will fall under Palpatine's control. Not completely. I know Anakin, or rather knew the man he was. He will want me dead. He has every reason to seek me out. To get his revenge. The way I left him, I…" Anakin's pathetic figure flashed in his mind. The sound of his voice as he told him he hated his former master. He had to shake the image from his mind. He couldn't stand it.

Miri felt his guilt. "You had no way of knowing… Obi-Wan." The name still felt foreign on her tongue. She stood, stopping before him, placing a hand on his waist.

He looked at her and exhaled in disbelief. "You have no idea how good it feels to have you say my name."

Miri's eyebrows wrenched in pity. She felt as if she was seeing him for the first time. Now there were no secrets between them. Miri raised a hand, and gently laid it on the side of Obi-Wan's face, tracing her thumb along his cheek. She looked into his eyes, and said it once more. "Obi-Wan." She stood on her toes to reach Obi-Wan, pulling him down to meet her in a kiss.

Obi-Wan eagerly placed his hands on Miri's hips, and parted her lips, deepening their kiss. Obi-Wan was so relieved that she was still here, and clearly still wanted him. They stood there like that for what seemed like hours before Miri pulled back, breaking the kiss, desperately trying to catch her breath.

"How are you feeling?" She felt at his forehead, concerned that the might be worsening Obi-Wan's condition.

"I'm on the mend, if that's what you mean," Obi-Wan brushed her concerns aside. "But that's not how I'd describe how I'm feeling right now." Obi-Wan hungrily kissed Miri again, walking the few paces from where they were standing, to the bed. Miri's legs hit the bed as Obi-Wan walked her backwards. She made a noise of surprise. She was very much a passenger on this ride that Obi-Wan was steering. She looked at Obi-Wan in disbelief as he knelt on the bed, pulling her with him, and laying her down with urgency.

Miri watched nervously as Obi-Wan lowered himself over her, settling in between her legs, and supporting himself by his forearms. Obi-Wan's mouth found Miri's yet again, and they settled into their new position, relishing in the feeling of their bodies so close.

Obi-Wan felt as if his clothes were incredibly cumbersome, and as he felt Miri's hips rock beneath his, it took much strength to not pull hers off right then and there. All of this was new to him. And he loved every movement she made. He had never been intimate in this way with anyone, and finally there at the precipice, Obi-Wan found he was ready to jump.

He noticed she made small whimpers when he moved his hips in sync with hers, pressing his hardness against her, which ignited something deep inside himself he had no idea he possessed. He was discovering that every different movement he made, or touch he initiated, caused her to react differently. He wanted to learn every one.

Breaking their kiss, Obi-Wan turned his attention on her neck, kissing the exposed, sensitive skin just below her ear. This was apparently something she loved, and she let out another small moan in approval. Obi-Wan sighed in disbelief at how much he loved hearing her make those sounds.

"Oh god," he hissed, placing small kisses on her neck.

"Obi-Wan?" Miri spoke softly.

"Hmm?" Obi-Wan continued his work, kissing at her neck, and moving a hand to her waist, moving it just below her breasts.

"Obi-Wan, wait…" Miri rolled her eyes approval as Obi-Wan continued to touch her in ways she loved. She summoned up the strength, and put her hand on his, stopping its upward progression.

He pulled back, stopping his work, and searching her eyes.

"It's so fast, I don't know if we should…" Miri searched for the words. She desperately wanted to tell him to do what he had been doing. "I haven't… before."

Obi-Wan kissed Miri lightly on the lips, and sighed. "Nor I..." He rolled over to lay beside Miri, distancing himself from her if only to gain control of himself to respect her wishes. "I will wait as long as you like."

Miri smiled, and turned on her side to face Obi-Wan. "So there hasn't been anyone?"

Obi-Wan licked his lips and contemplated. "Not in that way. There could have been. But I held fast to the Jedi code. I never forsook my duty."

"I couldn't imagine a life without passion, without love," Miri rested her hand on Obi-Wan's chest, her other hand propping up her head.

"Passion is something the Sith adhere to, Miri," Obi-Wan cautioned.

"Then what do you call this?" Miri was confused.

"Nothing I do with you is impulsive. I do these things after careful meditation. And because of how I feel for you. It does not feel fleeting, or possessive. It's true, it is a passionate act, but it does not guide me."

Miri remained silent as Obi-Wan paused. Her heartbeat quickened as Obi-Wan described his feelings for her.

"It is not fleeting, and for this reason, I will not go any further than you wish."

She traced Obi-Wan's lips with the tips of her fingers, and smiled. "I have never doubted your goodness. I hope you know this." Miri sighed, and sat up, hoping to shake the heady feeling that had overcome her. She feared if she stayed on Obi-Wan's bed any longer, she would not be able to stop. She knew in her heart she just wasn't ready.

"Before the day slips away from us even more…" Miri stood, taking Obi-Wan's hand in hers. "I say we accomplish what I _actually_ came here to do. Meditation will be the tempering agent here, I think." She winked at him.

Obi-Wan followed. "You are right." Though he could loll about for hours with Miri, he admittedly was eager to be her teacher. He was heartened by the thought that his new pupil seemed to be more pragmatic than the last. Without a word, the two of them walked outside to the spot they'd occupied in their first lesson, and assumed their meditative positions. There, in the midday sun, Obi-Wan said his silent thanks that he had found such an extraordinary person.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for the heads-up on the perspective confusion. I think I've put some changes in effect that might clear that up. You all are so great about reviews. I hope to show my thanks with a few more chapters this weekend.**


	15. Chapter 15

_It was a cold evening on Alderaan, and Greta Ferrus had not dressed appropriately. She was used to the controlled temperatures of Coruscant. Though Alderaan was her home world, she remembered nothing of it. She remembered even less of the family that had given her shelter after she had fled the capital and the Jedi Order. They all spoke in hushed tones as this newcomer sat in their modest hut in the shadow of the mountains._

 _Their daughter had been taken from them more than fifteen years ago. They had mourned for her, but knew she was destined for great things, so eventually they had more children to fill their empty hearts. Now they had their much older, teenage daughter back in their home, and she was meeting her brothers and sisters for the first time._

 _In truth, she felt no attachment to them. She had only returned to them out of necessity. It was the only place she could think of that would be safe for her. In any case, it was only temporary until she could get even further out of the Republic's domain. So there she sat, the night before her final departure from the home of her biological family, surrounded by younger siblings and parents she held no love for._

 _She had left Coruscant in a panic. While on a diplomatic mission to Naboo, Senator Palpatine had revealed to her his identity. In his talented way, Senator Palpatine had made the young padawan an unwilling participant in the murder of another Jedi. He had used this as a way to get the powerful young padawan to become his own apprentice._

 _Palpatine had stood above her as she knelt and wept while holding the lifeless body of a fellow Jedi._

 _"I didn't mean it!" she cried. "I didn't see, I didn't know who he was!"/em/p_

 _"You don't really believe that, do you Greta?" he had crooned at her._

 _She looked up at him with tear-streaked cheeks, her eyelashes still wet.  
"I thought he… It all happened so fast!"_

 _"You knew, Greta. You struck him down in cold blood. At least that's what the Jedi Council will conclude, in which case, your life is forfeit. You must see how this looks."_

 _"But what am I to do?"_

 _"Join me. Become my apprentice. Your powers are far greater than that of a life in the Jedi Order. I have felt your anger. Join me on the Dark Side."_

 _"Never. You are insane."_

 _"I'm afraid Master Windu has taught you all he can. And he certainly will not be as understanding of your anger as I am."_

 _"I will die before I join you!" Greta rose, leaving the Jedi there on the floor of Senator Palpatine's mansion._

 _"Then you must run, dear," Palpatine had laughed, calling after her. "But I will find you. Whether it is today, or in twenty years, I will find you. And you will join the Dark Side."_

 _"Where will you go?" her mother asked her, some time later, ladling stew into a bowl in front of her._

 _"It's best you not know. If the Jedi come here, you must deny having ever seen me."_

 _At this, the Ferrus family ate in silence, and the next day, Greta boarded a cargo ship bound for the desert planet of Tatooine._

* * *

 _She had walked the streets of Mos Eisley, exchanging her padawan robes for civilian clothes at a stall. As she disposed of the garments in a nearby alley, she held onto the light saber that she had crafted herself. She considered it for a moment. She knew she should dispose of it. Destroy it. But something inside her had stayed her hand. She ignited the blade, admiring the purple color that was so unique amongst the Jedi. Only a few in Jedi history had possessed a purple blade. She, and her Master, being two of them. Master Windu had personally gifted her the Hurrikane crystals necessary for her to make her blade. He had been given a handful in his youth. They were exceedingly rare, so for Master Windu to have given her this gift was telling of how much he had come to care for his padawan._

 _That was why Greta had fled. She knew her mistake would shame her Master greatly. Her heart broke at the thought of him knowing what she had done. It was a greater kindness, she thought, for him to rather believe that she was dead. An unfortunate casualty of the mission to Naboo._

 _Unable to dispose of the lightsaber, she secured it in the folds of her new garment, and set about her quest to find employment and lodging in this strange new world. She had searched all day, and just when she was nearly ready to give up, and was resting against the synstone wall of a building, she heard a voice calling her over._

 _"You look thirsty," a young man had called out to her from several feet away. She held her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. Before her stood a handsome man of about thirty years, holding a pouch of water up. She surveyed the man, reaching out to sense if he meant her any harm. All she found was kindness._

 _Convinced no harm would come to her, she smiled and walked over to the young man with almost white-blonde hair. Accepting the pouch, and drinking the much-needed water, Greta thanked him, and began to walk away._

 _"Wait now," he said, a playful look in his eyes. She stopped. "I haven't seen you around before. First time to Tatooine?"_

 _"Yes." Greta fidgeted with her mousy brown braided hair, which hung over her shoulder. She'd not had much interest in boys at the Academy. Romantic relationships were forbidden to the Jedi, but it was considered normal for crushes to emerge amongst students. Still, Greta had managed to evade that particular aspect of padawan life. But there was something about this man that made Greta second-guess herself. Maybe she hadn't evaded this aspect._

 _"You staying long?"_

 _"I hadn't decided yet. If I can't find work, I don't think I'm going to have much luck here, and will have to move on."_

 _"Honest work is probably best for you. A girl as pretty as you isn't safe here in Mos Eisley. Too many folks who'll try to take advantage. Put you to work doing things not fit for any woman."_

 _Greta swallowed. She hadn't even thought of it coming to that. Suddenly the pit in her stomach grew ten-fold._

 _The blonde man smiled kindly at the out-of-place girl. "Lucky for you I need a hand here in my stall. I can't pay you much, but I've got free lodging to offer as well."_

 _"Do you really?" Greta's face lit up._

 _"Yeah. You look like an honest person."_

 _"Thank you so much. You don't know how much I appreciate it." She sighed in relief._

 _He outstretched his hand in a gesture of goodwill. "It's a pleasure to meet you…?"_

 _"Greta. Greta Ferrus." Greta took his hand, smiling._

 _He engulfed hers in both of his in a hearty handshake. "I'm Lee. Lee Gorsa."_


	16. Chapter 16

Miri Gorsa continued to work long hours at the Mos Eisley Cantina, hoping to pay off the last of her father's debt with the Hutts. She had done the math, and if she continued in this way, she and her father would be able to make the payments up by a month before their due date. Because of this, she did not mind the long hours.

Her lessons with Obi-Wan had motivated her to finish early as well. She had gone to Obi-Wan's hut at least once a week for the last month, sometimes twice a week. He had taught her a level of control over the force that she never imagined she would have. He had taught her techniques in meditation, object movement, and had begun laying the foundations for Jedi mind tricks.

But after a while, she started to crave more challenges. She had begun hinting that Obi-Wan take her training to other, more difficult areas, but he always skirted the issue. Miri had been hinting at skills in combat. Obi-Wan knew exactly what she had been implying, but avoided a clear answer for her. But, it was almost hardwired into Miri to persevere. She silently vowed that she would pester Obi-Wan enough that he would eventually break down and begin teaching her more aspects of the force.

She had proven to be a skillful pupil. She took to all her new lessons very quickly, and very seldom gave him grief like Anakin had done. Everything was easier with Miri. It was this that scared him so. She would have taken to a lightsaber very well. But this was the final step that Obi-Wan feared. The more blatant the Jedi talent, the less ability Miri had to deny knowledge of the force, and by extension, Obi-Wan and Luke. Alas, though, there was Miri's neverending need to succeed, and Obi-Wan's pleasure at teaching such a malleable student.

It was on one particularly fortuitous morning that Miri had attempted, once more, to convince Obi-Wan to teach her more, and was finally able to get an answer out of him.

"Miri," Obi-Wan had placed his hands on her arms, in a caring gesture. He rested his forehead on hers. "It will be difficult to teach you this. If we were in the Jedi Temple, there would be resources available that would make this safer to teach you. As it stands, this small hut is not big enough to teach you the finer points of combat."

"Then we go outside, Obi-Wan. In case you haven't noticed, you live in the Dune Sea."

"Anyone could be on the horizon, watching us."

"You mean to tell me, Master Kenobi. General Kenobi. That you wouldn't be able to sense if someone was spying on us outside?" Miri knew she had a point. She smirked, and snaked her arms around his neck. She leaned her body against his, and hung there, looking up at him.

He sighed in exasperation. "I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you."

"What's going to happen to me, then?"

Obi-Wan kissed her forehead. "Vader and the Emperor are looking for all surviving Jedi. That includes padawans not yet trained in all the Jedi arts. Even simply being force-sensitive is a death sentence if caught by the wrong people."

"I know, Obi-Wan. But why can't you teach me this? Isn't it better to have taught me how to defend myself if I do indeed get caught?"

"Miri, you are a talented girl. I am amazed every day at how quickly you take to everything. You are a greater pupil than Anakin ever was. More disciplined…" He put some distance between them, looking her in the eye with steely resolve. "I don't want you to be lulled into a false sense of security, and think that you're a match for Vader or the Emperor."

Miri blinked. She tried not to be offended, but it was difficult. "Am I mistaken in that you, even up against Vader, were able to render him defenseless? I clearly have the right teacher."

"It would be risky." His resolve was crumbling.

"I need to be able to defend myself," Miri said slowly, and deliberately. She knew Obi-Wan agreed, deep down. In his heart, Obi-Wan knew it was wishful thinking that he would have been able to deny certain aspects of her training. It might have been easier had he not become so intimate with Miri. Had he not started to care for her so deeply.

"I know," he said in an exhale. Miri's eyes lit up.

"Then you'll teach me?"

Obi-Wan nodded reluctantly.

"Oh, Obi-Wan, thank you, _thank you_!" She kissed him gratefully on the cheek, his whiskers tickling her lips and chin. She had him wrapped around her finger, and they both knew it.

"But _slowly_ ," he had warned.

"However you say." She had backed up, and drew her hands together in excitement.

"I'm not going to ever be able to say 'no' to you, am I?" he asked, walking over to the other side of the hut.

" _Maybe_. Just not that often…" Miri said playfully. She followed Obi-Wan in his trajectory over to his trunk.

She'd been eyeing the trunk for the time she'd been coming to his hut. But, she had respected his boundaries, and not touched it. Obi-Wan had been silently grateful. She stood a step behind Obi-Wan, hugging her arms in anticipation as she watched him open it in trepidation. After moving a few objects around, Obi-Wan found what he was looking for: two light sabers, sitting side by side.

He withdrew Anakin's blade, and held it up. He had begun to tell Miri of how the lightsaber was a sophisticated weapon. It was elegant. More civilized than blasters. And to be treated with the utmost respect. Coming into contact with a lightsaber blade could be fatal or disfiguring. Very few substances in the world could withstand the destructive edge of a lightsaber. He ignited the blade to show her exactly how it would work. He had silently considered which blade she would use in her training. It made the most sense for her to use Anakin's blade. The blade would eventually, one day, belong to Luke, but he had hoped that Miri would never have need for one outside of their training.

Once he had powered down the blade, he handed it to Miri, and began coaching her. When her fingers secured around the blade, he stepped back to give her space to ignite the blade. When he did so, she had frozen.

Obi-Wan waited for her to try the weapon, but still she did nothing. Obi-Wan had learned all of her looks and expressions, and had not seen the one now on her face ever before. She looked confused and frightened all at once. She finally tilted the weapon over so she could inspect it. It looked like she didn't believe it was real.

"Miriam, what's wrong?" Obi-Wan spoke tentatively.

She felt as if her mouth was as dry as the sand outside the hut. She drew her other hand up to her mouth in a contemplative manner.

"I've held one of these before," she muttered behind her fingers. She dropped the lightsaber back onto a folded robe inside the trunk. She looked at her empty hand as if the lightsaber had left behind some kind of mark.

"What do you mean? How can you have held one of these before?" Obi-Wan guided the dazed girl over to his bed, and sat down with her.

"I… I don't know. It's a feeling I have. I can't remember how or where. But I know I have."

Obi-Wan was silent for a minute. _How could she have ever held a lightsaber before?_ he thought. And what's more… why doesn't she remember?

"Miriam, are you sure of this?"

"Yes, Obi-Wan. I don't know how."

"Are you willing to let me try to help you remember?" Obi-Wan's thoughts raced.

Miriam shook herself, and nodded to Obi-Wan. All she could manage to say was yes.


	17. Chapter 17

Miri and Obi-Wan sat cross-legged in front of each other. They had been in deep meditation for several minutes. The technique Obi-Wan had hoped to try was something he'd never accomplished before. He had heard of it being used in the past, but knew no Jedis who had ever attempted it themselves. He had no one to instruct him. He didn't even have the archives to refer to. Just his memories from his padawan studies, and late nights in the archives.

Still, for the technique to work, the both of them had to have clear minds. Miri also had to trust him completely, and to allow herself to have force persuasion used on her. It was possible to have force persuasion used on a force-sensitive being so long as the act was consensual. The idea was that, through force persuasion, a person's memory could be unlocked. Years of repression could be pulled back like layers of curtains.

So, with no prior training in the technique, Obi-Wan placed his fingers on Miri's temples to establish a physical connection. He had no idea if this was what he was supposed to do, but still he had to try.

"Miriam, tell me how old you were when you saw the lightsaber you remember."

Miri was quiet. She kept her breathing shallow. Still, nothing came to her.

"I don't know, Obi-Wan."

"Ok, don't get discouraged. Tell me where you where when you saw it."

Miri felt as if things were indeed coming back to her, but it was more of a feeling that she'd had before. Like déjà vu. "Uhm… I don't… I can't see anything. I haven't got the faintest idea."

"Concentrate, Miriam." Obi-Wan kept his tone soothing, his countenance calm.

"I'm trying, Obi-Wan, I am," Miri sighed, and grabbed Obi-Wan's hands, pulling them down. "This isn't going to work."

"Well, it is my first time to try it, after all. We don't exactly have a set of instructions. It may take some time."

Miri, in frustration, swung her legs over the ledge outside, and jumped down, surveying the horizon in the light of the midday suns.

She shook her head, brushing a few stray locks of hair from her eyes. With her back to Obi-Wan, she heard his feet hit the stone floor lightly. She could feel him draw closer. Still she stood with her back to him. His hands rested on her upper arms, and slowly ascended to her shoulders, where he began to gently massage her tense muscles.

"You are too tense. Your mind is clouded," Obi-Wan silently chastised himself for his tone. He was determined not to speak to her as a Jedi Master would his apprentice, but he found he could not help himself.

She huffed. "I know."

"This might not work. But we can't lose hope."

Miri turned and faced Obi-Wan. Worry filled her eyes as she searched Obi-Wan's face. "It's like that place between asleep and awake, where you still remember dreaming. But you open your eyes, and it's gone. You know there was a dream. You just don't know what it was."

Obi-Wan felt his stomach hitch. He hated to see her worry. Not knowing what to say, Obi-Wan drew her into his arms. Resting her head on his chest, Miri breathed in Obi-Wan.

"You must trust your feelings, Miriam," Obi-Wan said softly.

Miri returned home to Mos Eisley after their obligatory hour of language lessons, completely exhausted from her mentally taxing day with Obi-Wan.

She collapsed onto her bed at three in the afternoon, and began thinking of all that had happened since the morning. Obi-Wan and the lightsaber. The meditation, outside. The warm sun on her face. She recalled all of this as images flashing in her mind. Her thoughts soon turned to dreams.

* * *

 _There was sun all around her. It was a bright day. A bead of sweat trickled down her hairline by her ear. She had been bidden to stay under the tent in the stall, but still, she was burning up. The only reprieve came from the occasional gust of wind, which cooled her sweat. She grumbled, and flopped in a chair, mindlessly rolling a fruit in her hand._

 _A slender set of fingers secured around the fruit, and plucked it from her much smaller hand. Miri looked up to find her mother, smiling sympathetically, and peeling the fruit for her. Once the task was done, she gave her daughter the innards, and bent down to throw the husk in a waste basket beneath the table._

 _As she leaned forward, Miri caught a glimpse of it. Shiny… she barely could see it, it was hidden there on her hip… she leaned forward to get a better look…_

* * *

A loud _clack_ sound roused Miri from her sleep, jerking her eyes open. She felt disoriented. She looked about her to find her surroundings. She wasn't in the market. She was in her bed, still in her clothes and boots. She'd fallen asleep, and by the look of the light outside, for several hours. She had been dreaming. She was losing her grip on what she had dreamt. She looked out the small window in her room to see the suns descending into the horizon. She blinked groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and sat up, allowing her feet to dangle from her bed.

"I'm home!" she heard her father's voice distant in the apartment.

" _Ok_ …" Miri called back faintly, acknowledging her father's presence. She sighed, and rubbed at her forehead.

"I was beginning to think you were dead to the world," a voice called to her. Miri jumped and gave a small cry, looking about her room to find the source.

What Miri encountered, she could scarcely believe. There, beside the small bookcase in her room, stood a robed man, whose visage was silvery and blue, and not quite all there. Her heart rate picked up, and her eyes darted around the room to find some kind of weapon.

"Fear not, girl, I'm not here to harm you," the man crossed his transparent arms into the transparent sleeves of his robe. His long hair descended and fell over a shoulder, giving him an almost aristocratic air. "In any case, _you_ wouldn't be able to harm _me_ even if I was here for that purpose."

"What… _who_ are you?" Miri stood, still unsure if she should approach the specter of a man.

"When I was of the world, my name was Qui-Gon Jinn. Now I am only a small part of the force."

"You were a Jedi," Miri said, realization dawning on her.

"I was."

Miri could scarcely believe that she was speaking with someone from beyond the living world. However, over the last month, her entire world had been thrown into upheaval as she learned she was force-sensitive, so with this new revelation, she decided to suspend her disbelief. She swallowed, and found her voice again.

"Why are you… here?"

Before Qui-Gon could answer, Miri's door opened slightly to reveal the face of Lee Gorsa. "You okay kiddo? I heard something back here."

Miri's eyes darted from the hazy picture of a man back to her father. She breathed in sharply, ready to come up with some kind of explanation. Still, her father's expression remained the same. She scrunched her eyebrows together momentarily—her father couldn't see Qui-Gon.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just… thought I saw a sand spider. I imagined it."

"Ok then," Lee smiled, leaving his daughter alone. He called out again from a distant part of the apartment. " _Dinner in twenty_."

Once he was gone, Miri waited before asking in a hushed tone, "Can he not see you?"

"No, he cannot. I can only be seen by force-sensitives, and to whom I choose to reveal myself."

Miri shook her head. "I'm sorry, you were saying before?"

Qui-Gon continued. "My apprentice has taken you as his padawan it seems," he raised an eyebrow. Miri flushed, and looked at her feet for a moment. "And I know there is more to it than that."

"Are you here to tell me to stay away?" Miri cut through all the formality.

"No, no my dear," Qui-Gon held up a hand. "I wanted to see who had stirred something in him so. He speaks of you with very thoughtful words. Carefully chosen."

"You speak with Obi-Wan? So he knows you're… this way?"

"Yes. I'm afraid he could not escape my teachings, even after my death." Qui-Gon smiled wryly. "But, I also must ask something of you."

"Of _me_?" Miri sat back down on her bed, the whole experience becoming too heady for her.

"Yes. Something I think you will need to do before it is all said and done. There is no denying that you and Obi-Wan have a true bond. I must ask, though, that you see that this bond does not cloud his judgment."

"Obi-Wan would never stray from the path of the Jedi."

"To love is very dangerous for a Jedi."

"Love? I don't think he…" Miri felt her stomach flutter. "He's spoken to me about the precarious balance. His feelings for me, they are not jealous or possessive."

"That well may be, Miriam," Qui-Gon pulled slightly at his beard. Miri made mental note that this was the same gesture Obi-Wan made. "But Obi-Wan will be tested. You will need to remind him of this code."

"I can't believe that in any way."

"I do not believe Obi-Wan would fall to the Dark Side. But the fate of others rests on his actions."

"Luke." Miri nodded. She'd never even met the infant, but still she found herself fearing for his safety too.

"And _you_ , Miriam."

Miri's mouth twitched in a half smile. "I'm fine. Why would I be in any danger?"

"For the very same reason Obi-Wan has started to train you." Qui-Gon paused, looking the girl over. "He needs you to look out for him just as much as you need him to keep you from harm's way. Though he would never admit it."

Miri nodded, accepting the cryptic message from the Jedi Master. She looked back up at Qui-Gon, who was looking her up and down, smiling to himself and shaking his head. He turned as if he meant to walk away, and looked back at her, uttering one more word before dissolving into nothing.

"Remarkable."

* * *

 **A/N: I apologize ever so much for the lapse in updates. The Thanksgiving holiday put a kink in things, and as we draw near the end of the year, my schedule has been pretty crazy. As always, reviews are appreciated and encouraged.**


	18. Chapter 18

The Hutts had a peculiar hold on Mos Eisley. Business, for the most part, was conducted independently, and without much outside interference from a governing body. But everyone on Tatooine knew that if anything of importance were to happen on the planet, the Hutts would know, and ultimately be involved in it.

They were moneylenders. They were pirates and the lords of the black market. One Hutt in particular was rather unpleasant to work with. That had been Lee Gorsa's mistake. He had trusted that he could pull himself out of his debt with the Hutts in time to pay them back. But, Jabba had a particularly bad temper, and his moods changed with the speed of an oncoming sandstorm.

It was lucky then that Miriam Gorsa held in her hands a bag of money that was intended for the Hutts. Indeed, they were a month early for their final deadline. Miri could not wait to be rid of the thing. In it was not only money, but the weight of a burden that dragged both her and her father into the most dangerous of situations one could find themselves in on Tatooine.

In any other case, Miri would have seen the bag of money as a ticket off Tatooine, a blessing. But to her, it represented the vile pit of Mos Eisley Cantina. The wandering hands, the nasty looks, and the false smile she had to wear while bearing it all.

So, as Miri stood outside the metal gate to Jabba's palace, she was more than ready to drop it in front of the large creature and be done with the whole mess. She banged on the durasteel door, waiting for an answer. A bulbous, eyeball-looking camera jutted out to meet her, causing her to jump. It spoke to her in Huttese. She swallowed, refusing to show her discomfort.

"I'm here to pay Jabba the money we owe him." A few mutterings in Huttese later, and the thing retracted.

A few seconds passed, and the gate began to lift. It was then that Miri had begun to regret not telling Obi-Wan she was going to Jabba's palace on her own. She hadn't even told her father that today was the day she was going to pay off their debt. There was nothing to help that now, so Miri proceeded, and walked down a dark hallway.

When she reached the end, she was met by three men, one Twileki, one human and one Zabrak—the very Zabrak that had assaulted her all those weeks ago. Her jaw set and her lips pressed together in a thin line. She wasn't here for a fight. She had to get in and get out. Still, the smug look on his face disgusted her. He looked her up and down in a hungry way that made Miri's skin crawl.

"Back for more?" he spoke through a predatory smile.

"Just take me to him," Miri spat back at him.

With a laugh, the Zabrak and his two companions surrounded her on each side, herding her deeper into Jabba's palace. She felt closed in. She knew if things went sour, she wouldn't be able to get out. She promised herself she would pay him and go.

There was music that had at first been faint, but grew until she could barely hear anything else. Inside the throne room, Miri saw all manner of species. Most seemed to be there of their own volition, but there were a few in the room who wore chains around their necks, and little else but revealing clothing. They were slaves. Most of them Twilek girls. Miri forced herself to not dwell on them, but still she felt pity.

She stopped mere yards in front of Jabba, and the music died down. All were waiting to see what business this slight human girl had with Jabba. She felt the sting of dozens of eyes on her, causing her face and ears to sear with heat. The Twilek male, with pale skin and red eyes, approached Jabba and whispered something to him.

Jabba laughed, and spoke to Miri in Huttese.

" _Gorsa's girl. Has your father made good on his debts_?"

"Yes, Jabba," she responded, in Basic Standard. Miri held up the bag, and tossed it closer to him. "In full. That's all of it." The next words stuck in her throat, but she forced herself to say them. "Thank you for your patience. Our business together is now completed."

Another laugh from the Hutt. Others in the throne room also chuckled, which unsettled Miri.

" _Is that so, girl_?"

Miri swallowed, shifting her gaze from Jabba to those around him. "Yes, that was the arrangement. I've got it all there, probably more than what we owe you with interest."

" _Tell me, girl… You know many languages, so I hear_."

"Yes, some…" her knees began to shake. Huttese was not an uncommon tongue for someone on Tatooine to have learned, along with Galactic Basic Standard.

" _I see_." The Twilek leaned forward and whispered to Jabba again. Miri knew that look on his face. He smiled, and Miri felt the sudden urge to flee.

" _You see, our business is not concluded just yet_."

"I brought the money, that was the deal—"

" _I need your father's services. I have a very important shipment that will arrive soon, and I need it to be concealed. The new Empire is making it very difficult on the black market, and your father's grocery shipments will be the perfect disguise_."

"My father did not sign up for a life of smuggling, Jabba," Miri's heart pounded. "He is a grocer. He will never agree to this!"

" _He will this time_."

Two men flanked Miri, closing in on her. The Zabrak and the human grabbed her arms, holding her still.

" _Plus, while you're my guest here… I could use your skills as a translator. Our last translator was not… up to par_."

"Let me go!" Miri cried, and pulled at the two, much stronger men holding onto her. She felt her panic swelling in her. She felt the pull of the force. She could have easily force-choked the Zabrak, but maybe not the human too. And certainly not the entire room. Not where everyone could see.

" _Until my shipment makes it safely to my palace, you will be our guest here. I suggest you accept this._ "

At that, Miri was dragged away into another room, kicking and fighting against the men who held her.

* * *

Lee Gorsa sat in the modest kitchenette of his apartment, his apprentice with him. Dinner had been laid out on the table. Lee had abandoned all hope of his daughter joining him, and had started eating with Bastien. Lee had hoped that soon, when his debt with the Hutts was soon paid, Miri could quit working at that foul bar and come back to work at the stall. Maybe even go back to school. And in his wildest dreams, might start to take an interest in someone other than that Ben Kenobi character who lived in the Dune Sea like a hermit. He had hoped that someone might have been Bastien.

Bastien was a truly nice young man, Lee thought. Hard-working, simple but not simple-minded, and modest. Bastien seemed slightly disappointed that Miri had not shown up for dinner, but he hid it well. He had been keeping his eye on her in the limited contact they'd had since he started his apprenticeship with Lee. He had sized up Miri's love interest with intense scrutiny, if only to hide his jealousy. Still, he smiled and handed the man his supplies each week, but couldn't help but think he was too old for her.

They had reached the end of their meal, and Lee started to look out the window in distress.

"Shall we go look for her?" Lee offered.

"No, Bastien, you needn't trouble yourself," Lee rose, and collected the empty dishes. "I will clear up here, and head to the cantina. She's probably working a double shift today."

"I'm sure you're right," Bastien smiled, helping Lee to clean faster. They said their goodbyes, and both departed for their respective destinations.

Lee walked with urgency into Mos Eisley Cantina, drastically out of place in the den of putrid characters. His eyes darted around the room, searching for his beloved daughter. He did not see any trace of her, but saw the Twilek girl who was her best friend, and made a beeline for her.

When Jaki looked up from the bar, and saw Lee Gorsa walking her way, she had to blink a few times. She had never so much as seen Lee Gorsa step foot in the cantina in the years she had known the Gorsa family.

"Jaki, is Miri working this evening?" he asked hopefully.

Jaki swallowed, and shook her head. "She got off work around two. She said she had some business to attend to. She didn't come home?"

"No," Lee spun on his heels and raced out of the cantina. He stepped out into the evening air, noting that it was getting darker by the minute. If he was going to make it to the Dune Sea, he would have to leave soon.

Racing back to his own home, he cursed when he remembered that Miri had the only means of transportation between the two of them. He stood and deliberated for a moment. With reluctance, he headed towards Bastien's home. He did not wish to involve the young man in his own personal affairs, but Miri was nowhere to be found. Within five minutes, he was standing in front of his apprentice, who looked at him with an equal amount of concern.

"Get your hover car ready. We're going out to Ben Kenobi's."

* * *

Miri felt hands on her, and her skin crawled. Her tunic was pulled off her shoulders, revealing only her thin tank underneath. The attack came at her from behind, and in front of her, she saw a Dathomirian female rooting through a trunk. The Dathomirian seemed not to be concerned about the assault that was happening in front of her.

The tunic was tossed aside, and her wrists were grabbed from behind, and were pinned to her front as the Zabrak male wrapped his arms crushingly around her. She jerked and pulled at him, but he only held on tighter.

"I love it when you struggle," he crooned into her ear. Wrapping his left arm further around her front, pinning both wrists to her chest, he reached his free hand down to her stomach, lifting the thin fabric, touching her bare skin. "You and I are going to have a nice chat soon about what you did in that alley way."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Miri said, strained and fighting back her urge to force choke him again. Rather than let the assault continue, Miri lifted a foot, and slammed it down on the Zabrak's foot, causing him to let her go, howling in pain. Miri stumbled forward, and turned to face him.

"You bitch!"

"—leave us!" The Dathomirian female finally spoke, her tone commanding and final. She stepped beside Miri. She put a hand firmly around Miri's upper arm. "She's not yours to torment. Don't forget that she's Jabba's _guest_ now."

The Zabrak's eyes glowed with anger. "We'll see about that." He and his human crony turned and left the room, leaving Miri standing there with the grey-skinned Dathomirian. When he was gone, she turned on the human girl, resting her orange eyes on her.

Miri spoke, hoping the Dathomirian would be sympathetic. " _Guests_ aren't held against their will."

The Dathomirian's gaze hardened. "You're lucky he's letting you go once your father brings in his shipment. Now, put this on, and _try_ not to draw the ire of too many men here." In her hands she held a few strips of silky fabric. Miri looked at her incredulously.

"What is this?"

"What you're to wear while you're here in the palace."

"I gathered as much, but how can this be considered clothing? Why do I have to do this?"

The Dathomirian sighed, tugging at the bottom of Miri's tank, pulling it up without permission. Miri hesitated, holding it down. The woman reproached her with her eyes, and Miri relented. It was better than anyone else doing it, that much was sure.

Once she was shirtless, the Dathomirian took one strip of fabric, wrapping it around Miri's back and ribcage, crossing the fabric on her chest, and securing the ends at the back of her neck. Looking down at what little was covered, and how much was exposed, she wrapped her arms around her midsection. The handmaiden then began to drape a skirt about her hips in a matching color, the front and back held down by a metal belt.

Miri looked down at the free flowing skirt. "This is it?"

"It is," the woman warned her with her eyes. "And I would suggest you wear it without protest. I'm just doing as I'm told. I doubt your fate will be the same as other girls brought in here, but should you refuse, I'm sure it's likely to be. That pit below the throne isn't a place you want to end up, so watch your step."

On the verge of tears, Miri took a few well-measured breaths, and shed the clothes that remained.

"I still don't understand why I have to wear this," she said, her voice low.

"Jabba wishes it, and I suspect it will act as incentive for your father to complete his task. He should be along now soon."

* * *

Obi-Wan heard the hover car approach his hut. He was confused as to why Miri had come so close to dark. He walked outside to greet her, but found instead Lee Gorsa and the young man that had been at his stall in the weeks previous. Obi-Wan noticed the cool look in the young man's eyes, but ignored it. Seeing Lee at his own hut, so far from Mos Eisley, could not be a good sign.

"What is it, what's happened?" Obi-Wan spoke immediately after the vehicle had been powered down.

Lee stepped down, and spoke to Bastien. "Stay here, Bastien."

Lee strode past Obi-Wan, and into his hut without permission. Obi-Wan followed.

"Where is she?" Lee looked about the hut, not finding her.

"She's not here, I assure you," panic spread throughout Obi-Wan's body. "When did you last see her?"

"This morning."

"Was anything amiss?"

"No more so than it has been _lately_."

Obi-Wan ignored the stab. "Have you tried her communicator?"

"Yes, and she hasn't answered."

"Hand it over," Obi-Wan commanded. He held his hand out expectantly, and Lee complied.

Obi-Wan tested the handset. He spoke a few times, calling her name. There was silence for a moment, but suddenly a voice responded on the other end. A female voice, but not Miri's.

"You are trying to reach Miriam Gorsa, are you not?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan set his jaw. "Where is she?"

"She awaits her father at the palace of Jabba the Hutt. I suggest you do not delay in coming."

Then, silence from the communicator.

"Don't you have a month left?"

"Yes, we even were going to pay them back early, she…" Lee closed his eyes and frowned, realization dawning on him. "She paid them back early. That stubborn girl, she went on her own."

"Then we must go retrieve her, Lee. Now."


	19. Chapter 19

Obi-Wan and Lee reached the gate to Jabba's palace just as the suns had set. Lee had ridden in Bastien's hover car, and Obi-Wan had followed in his own hover bike. When the three of them arrived and all made to exit their respective vehicles, Obi-Wan impatiently waved his hand at the young man driving Miri's father.

"Stay here and watch these," he was much too concerned with Miri's safety to worry about using force persuasion in front of Lee. In any case, Lee had already reached the gate, and banged on the metal.

The gate opened without ceremony, and the two men were met by a group of nearly ten others, all ranging in species. Obi-Wan bristled at the sight of the Zabrak he knew to have been the one to attack Miri. Still, his better judgment forced him to remain calm.

They were outnumbered, for sure, and Obi-Wan had to play the next several minutes out very carefully. In any other time, Obi-Wan would have come in with his lightsaber drawn. But still, he kept it securely hidden in his robes.

"Mr. Gorsa," the Zabrak spoke. "We've been expecting you. We were _not_ , however, expecting any others."

"Bring us to Miriam," Obi-Wan kept his hand low as he used force persuasion on the lot of them. He had hoped it would work.

The Zabrak turned with a frown, and led the way to the throne room. There, music was blaring, and a girl was dancing in an open space. Once the group of men had all entered the room, the Zabrak clapped his hands to tell the band to stop playing. It was then, after the dancing girl had stepped aside, that Obi-Wan and Lee saw Miri. She was otherwise unharmed, but about her neck was a metal collar and chain, and she was dressed like one of the slave girls that adorned the throne room like baubles.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lee bellowed.

Miri's eyes flashed, and she stood from the pillow on which she sat, which rested two yards form Jabba's tail. Jabba laughed, and a nearby guard pulled at the chain around Miri's neck, keeping her from lunging forward into Obi-Wan's arms. So, she stood there, hands on the metal collar. She saw the look in Obi-Wan's eyes. A fierce blue fire burned in them, and he moved the sleeves of his robe as if he was going to reach for his lightsaber. Miri shook her head, pleading with Obi-Wan silently to not let it come to exposing himself. With great restraint, Obi-Wan clenched his hands at his sides.

" _Thank you for your payment, Gorsa, I knew you could do it,_ " Jabba said in his Huttese.

"Then why have you got my daughter chained—and dressed—like a slave? We did as we were told."

" _Ah, that, well…" Jabba gestured with short, stubby arms. "I need some assurance you're going to do as you're told_."

"And what would you have me do?" Lee implored. "I'll do anything, if you'll just let her go."

"Gorsa, don't—" Obi-Wan spoke to the man at his side.

" _I was hoping you would say that_ ," Jabba interrupted. " _I have some cargo coming in that must arrive unharmed. The Empire has intercepted two of my last four shipments since the end of the Republic, and I can't have this one falling into the wrong hands._ "

"I am not a smuggler, Jabba, I'm just a grocer," Lee held his hands out.

" _Exactly. No one will expect my shipment spirited away in sacks of flour headed to an old man's stall_."

"Gorsa, you have nothing to bargain with if you agree to his terms," Obi-Wan pleaded, halfheartedly. He knew, deep down, the man had no choice. He had no idea who Obi-Wan was, and Obi-Wan had hoped to find a solution that would not involve bringing the entire Empire down on Tatooine.

"What choice have I got, Ben?" Lee set his jaw, and looked back at Jabba.

"When will it be here?"

" _Tomorrow_."

"What if I had said no? It's already in the shipment?"

" _You don't want to know the if_. _In tomorrow's shipment, you'll find a small box. Bring it to me, and you can have your pretty daughter back. Although my man Abraxas here will be sad to see her go_."

The Zabrak who attacked Miri stood between her and Obi-Wan, flashing his fierce grin. It made Obi-Wan's blood boil.

"We will do as you say," Lee continued. "But she's not to be harmed in any way."

" _So long as my shipment makes it to me by sundown tomorrow, Gorsa, no harm will come to the girl_."

* * *

Lee and Obi-Wan left the palace, and making Obi-Wan miserable at the thought of leaving Miri there all night. He would get no rest tonight, and insisted that he return to Mos Eisley with Lee and his apprentice. The shipment would come into Mos Eisley tomorrow just before dawn, leaving plenty of time to return to the palace, and exchange the goods for Miri.

Lee drove the hover car that Miri had parked outside of the palace home, and the three of them caravanned back to Mos Eisley with their lights blaring to show the way in the dark. When they reached Mos Eisley, the hover cars and hover bike stopped behind the Gorsas' apartment, each man stepping down. Lee looked from the silent Bastien who betrayed nothing of his feelings, to Obi-Wan, who stood expectantly by the back entrance to the apartment.

He sighed, and turned to Bastien. "Thank you," he said, not progressing any further towards his door. "Tomorrow, meet us at the landing bay, and we will get our shipment. I'll have you run the stall while Ben and I take the package to Jabba."

Bastien sighed, slightly insulted that he was not being invited into the Gorsas' home this evening. He knew he could not protest, however, so he fired up his hover car again. "It was no problem. I will see you there." At that, he sped away, leaving the two other men standing in the doorway.

Lee opened the door, and wearily laid his cloak down on the back of a chair. He made a beeline for the table wine, and two glasses from a cupboard. "I could use a drink," he said. "I'm sure you could too."

He brought both the bottle and the glasses to the kitchenette table, and they both sat silently as Lee poured. Lee drank silently and cradled his head in his free hand.

"I'm a terrible father," he said. He swallowed a large gulp of the table wine. Obi-Wan followed suit.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that, Lee," Obi-Wan said. He had half a mind to knock some sense into the man, for he did agree that his foolishness was what got Miri into this mess in the first place. "She loves you, that much is clear. And clearly you would do anything for her. You got in with the wrong people. That's the problem." He drank again. "How _did_ this start for you?"

Lee lifted his head, and poured more wine into each of their plain glasses. "Miri's mother passed a few years ago. She got sick and her health failed quickly. I spent nearly everything I had to save her, but there was nothing the healers could do. Not out here."

Obi-Wan waited.

"So, I fell behind with the stall. Miri was doing all she could to run it herself while I cared for Greta, but she was just a teenager. I put that burden on her unfairly."

Obi-Wan's ears perked up. _Greta_. He knew that name. But it couldn't be…

He had to be sure. "Tell me about her. Miri's mother."

"Oh, Greta, she…" Lee smiled wistfully. "She lit up my life. She was beautiful. Miri is the spitting image of her, thankfully."

"Was she from Tatooine?"

Lee furrowed his brows. "Why?"

"Was she from Tatooine, Lee?"

"No," he said, irked that the younger man was dragging up such painful memories. "She was from Dantooine. Came here as a young girl." The corners of his mouth twitched, and he hid his nervousness by drinking.

Obi-Wan focused on Lee. "It wasn't Dantooine." It wasn't a question.

"I think I would know where my own wife was from, Kenobi!"

"Gorsa, in case you hadn't noticed, the scum of this planet has your daughter. I think it's time you got serious and told me the truth."

Lee set his glass down abruptly, and laced the fingers of his hands together, pressing his hands against his forehead in a prayer-like gesture. "I swore I would never tell anyone." He set his hands down on the table, looking at the sandy-haired man in defeat.

Obi-Wan breathed deeply to control his quickly beating heart. "You and I both know that Miriam is special."

Lee was silent.

"I daresay she takes after her mother in other ways than her looks." Obi-Wan took a gamble, and reached into his robe, and withdrew the lightsaber from his belt, and laid it on the table gently. "I think it's time you told me the truth about Miri's mother."


	20. Chapter 20

There it was. Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Out in the open, and right in front of Lee Gorsa. It was not exactly like his wife's lightsaber, but then again, he'd only ever seen the one, so his basis of comparison was skewed.

His mouth grew dry, and he struggled to find his words.

"Tell me who your wife was, Lee," Obi-Wan said. He already knew in his heart who she was. He just had to hear it.

"Greta Ferrus," Lee's head was buzzing, and it wasn't from the wine. "She was technically from Alderaan, but the Jedi took her when she was a youngling. She never became a Jedi, but she was an apprentice."

"To Mace Windu," Obi-Wan concluded.

"Yes," Lee nodded. He didn't bother to ask the man how he knew.

"The council assumed she was dead. Master Windu no longer felt her presence. What happened?"

"She fled the system after a mission on Naboo. She let everyone assume she was dead. For years she thought it was her fault, but later she was able to put the pieces together."

"She thought _what_ was her fault?"

"The other Jedi. The one who died on Naboo," he said. "She accidentally struck him down with her lightsaber. She'd gone there with him to assist in a diplomatic mission, and found herself at Palpatin's mansion. He revealed his true nature to her, as a Sith Lord. Tried to get her to join him, but she refused." Lee sighed. "He laced her tea with a hallucinogenic substance. We never figured out what. So she struck down her Jedi companion, and sobered up when she realized he wasn't trying to kill her. He was trying to attack Palpatin. He manipulated her. Told her she would be executed if she stayed. And the alternative was Palpatine killing her if she went to the council."

Obi-Wan sat dumbfounded. He brought his hand up to his mouth, and stroked at his beard and mustache. It all made so much sense. It explained why the force was so strong with Miri.

"You're… like her," Lee added.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. She was a padawan when I came to the Academy as a youngling. I was several years behind her. But still, the Jedi order was shaken when she disappeared. None more so than Master Windu." He shook his head. "Mace would have been so relieved to have known she was alive."

"She was ashamed. She thought for so long that she had killed that Jedi in cold blood. By the time we were married, and Miriam was on the way, enough years had passed that she began to figure it out. She felt that it was safest for her to be here, away from Palpatin."

"If it wasn't her, it was someone else. In fact, that someone else ended up being _my_ apprentice. Even if she had relented and joined him, he would have struck her down to make way for Darth Vader." Obi-Wan drank from his wine glass. "And Miriam would never have been born."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it." Lee surveyed the man in front of him. "So that's why you're here. Your padawan is the right hand of the Emperor. Your name isn't Ben."

"No. I'm sure you've heard talk of the bounty on Obi-Wan Kenobi's head."

"I've heard of bounties on the heads of _many_ Jedi."

Obi-Wan nodded. "So many were killed. But I had hoped some got away."

A silence passed between the two of them as they processed the revelations. They drank from the bottle of wine, and Obi-Wan ran his hands through his hair.

"It's not a coincidence that you are teaching my daughter, is it?"

Obi-Wan sighed and rubbed at his beard again. "I do not think so, no."

"You're not just a language teacher, are you?"

Obi-Wan emptied his glass in one last gulp, and pushed it away from himself. "No." Lee held the bottle, offering to pour more, but Obi-Wan shook his head. He continued. "No, she displayed signs of force-sensitivity in public, and as you know doing so could be dangerous for her. So I began to teach her to control it."

"Why?" Lee finished his glass too, and corked the bottle of wine. "Why teach my daughter?"

"Any risk of the Empire learning of her existence could bring them down on Tatooine. I and others like me depend on discretion and secrecy."

Lee shook his head, the wine stripping away his inhibitions. "No, that's not all. Now tell me, why are you teaching my daughter?"

Obi-Wan fixed his gaze on the table. "I care for her. I don't want any harm to come to her." He looked back at the much-older man.

"You love my daughter, don't you?"

Obi-Wan breathed in, and he too threw caution to the wind. "I do."

Lee sighed, and set his lips in a thin line. He nodded a few times, and stood at the table, sending the chair back with a scrape. He disappeared into a back room without a word, leaving Obi-Wan sitting there alone. Obi-Wan's stomach dropped. He reached out to sense Lee's demeanor, but could not find any anger. Only sadness.

Moments later, Lee returned, and set a lightsaber down in front of Obi-Wan, next to his own.

"She'll want to have this. You'll know the best time to give it to her."

Obi-Wan held the lightsaber in his hand, and looked back at Lee. "You can give this to her yourself, Lee."

He shook his head with a look of sad realization. "She won't want to talk to me. Not after lying to her for her whole life… At least not for a while. No, it's best you give it to her."

Lee stayed standing. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep for a few hours before we have to wait at the loading bay. You can use her room until then. We leave at 0400." Looking suddenly very tired and old, Lee turned and returned to the room from which he'd come.

Obi-Wan picked up the lightsaber, and powered it on. The blade shone the same purple as Master Windu's. He stared at it for a moment, and unable to bear looking at it, he powered it down, and set it down with a clunk next to his own. He rested his hand over his mouth in silent disbelief at how sad seeing it made him. Seeing the blade just like Mace's drove home the fact that he would never again see Mace. Mace would never learn that his much loved padawan, the one he knew he had come to love as a daughter, had not died on Naboo. He fought back the tears that threatened to fall for his fallen mentor and friend, Mace Windu. And for the countless other Jedi on the council, the ranks of the Knights, and of course the younglings.

Succeeding in stifling his feelings, Obi-Wan took in a deep breath, and secured both lightsabers to his belt, rose from the table, and retreated to Miri's bedroom. He sat on her bed, looking at his surroundings.

He focused on the bookshelf, which seemed to be the focal point of the room. She would have made a great scholar in the Jedi Order. There was nothing to be done about that, he told himself. So, what lay ahead of him was what he would do to protect two children of two Jedi. He was willing to lay down his life for either of them, but admittedly his willingness to die for Miri was different than that of Luke.

For Luke, he was willing to die to protect the young boy from falling into the hands of the Emperor. That too could be concluded of Miri, but as he lay his head on her pillow and breathed in the scent of her, he knew that his love for her had changed him forever.

* * *

 **A/N: To SerendipityAEY, RKF22, backseatgoodbyeislife, as always, thanks for the votes of confidence! You guys always seem to inspire me to write just one more chapter. And WamapokeIndian, your review made me smile. Thanks for taking the time to review.**


	21. Chapter 21

Obi-Wan and Lee Gorsa stared down at the small crate from inside the stall. They had opened it for maybe fifteen seconds before slamming it shut. The both of them stood there and neither spoke nor moved for several seconds.

"We can't take these to him," Lee said.

"And why not?" Obi-Wan said.

"Doesn't it… bother you?"

"Of _course_ it bothers me," Obi-Wan said, "but it's better than the alternative. Her. There. With them."

"So we let them get out onto the black market, I guess." Lee said.

"If anyone is foolish enough to buy a lightsaber on the black market, they have earned their fate. The Empire would have had all the lightsabers they possess destroyed, save for Palpatin and Vader's. Whoever buys these will risk death to own one. Jabba will not want to lose such a commodity. And there's nothing I can do to bring back their owners. I must focus on the future."

The two of them snapped the locks on the crate, and Obi-Wan locked the case back with the two small tools he had used to pick the locks in the first place. The two men left the stall in the dark, heading for their respective vehicles. Lee placed the crate of six lightsabers on the passenger seat beside him, and followed Obi-Wan in the pre-dawn light towards the Dune Sea.

* * *

Music, Miri found, was nearly always playing in Jabba the Hutt's palace. Save for the few hours he slept, the throne room was always a throbbing cesspool of dancing, drinking, loud music and the occasional sporting game of throwing a slave into the rancor pit below the throne. Miri had seen one slave girl thrown in for refusing the advances of one of Jabba's goons. It was this that made her hope against all things that Abraxas, the Zabrak who had it in for her, would steer clear.

Her wish had miraculously been granted. He had watched her like a predator waiting for the opportunity to strike, but his orders kept him in check. So long as Lee Gorsa was doing Jabba's bidding, Abraxas could not sully the one thing that was ensuring Jabba got what he wanted. And if Jabba didn't get what he wanted, Abraxas would soon find himself fending off the rancor beneath the throne.

It was mid-morning when Obi-Wan and Miri's father arrived, small box in hand. Miri stood at their arrival, all but straining against the chain at her neck. She was promptly jerked back by Jabba, falling against the pillow that had been intended for her.

Obi-Wan breathed deeply as he handed over the box to the light-skinned Twilek, who brought them immediately in front of Jabba. It pained him greatly to hand over the sacred items, but it pained him even more to think of Miri in the possession of Jabba the Hutt.

"Our deal is done, Jabba. Now hand over my daughter," Lee said, in a far more commanding voice than he had managed the previous day.

" _Patience, Gorsa, you'll get your girl back_ …" Jabba said. The Twilek opened the case for Jabba with a key procured from his robes, showing him the contents. When he found the six lightsabers there, unmolested, he hummed his approval.

Miri rose enough from her position that she rested on her knees, ready to bolt the second her collar was taken off.

" _I am very pleased. You did well. It's too bad I can't persuade you to work for me permanently_ …" Jabba hinted.

Fear flooded Miri's mind, and she desperately tried to calm her thoughts, to find her center, but the prospect of being held further terrified her.

"We had a deal, and it's done, Jabba. Please, now let her go," Lee commanded.

Jabba laughed. " _Very well. Let her go_ ," he spoke to Abraxas, who sauntered over to Miri, pulling her up by her arm. Making a show of it, Abraxas languidly ran his hands over Miri's bare back, up to her collar, and unfastening the lock. Before she could bolt, he wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear.

"Until next time."

Miri shuddered at his touch, and his words that poisoned her ears. She wriggled from his grasp, wishing desperately to have dealt him a blow similar to the last, but knew she had to get out of there without any further confrontation. When she finally was free, she breathed heavily and ran forward into Obi-Wan's arms.

He caught her eagerly, and held her to him, never wishing to be parted from her again. Not wishing to linger in the palace any longer, Obi-Wan turned on his heels, and began to walk Miri out of the throne room. Lee stayed behind momentarily to give a few parting words.

"With respect, Jabba, I think our dealings are over." At that, he followed behind Obi-Wan and Miri, towards the light of the outside world.

* * *

Miri felt as if her entire body was humming. She was vaguely aware that she had been trembling since she sat in the hover car, sandwiched between her father and Obi-Wan, her father at the wheel. Obi-Wan had an arm around her waist, clutching her to him, and with his free hand, holding hers. When they reached Mos Eisley, they immediately made for the Gorsas' apartment. Obi-Wan helped her out of the hover car, and held her as she began to finally relax, standing in the alley behind her apartment. She was no longer in the clutches of the Hutts. She was home. Safe.

Her father approached her, and Miri turned to hug him as well.

"Papa, I'm so sorry I went on my own, I just wanted to pay them and be done with it, and I—"

" _Shh_ , hush now. It's done. Let's get you inside." Lee led the way into their home.

Miri walked inside and sat down at the kitchenette table, taking stock of her feelings, wishing to stay put long enough to gain control of her emotions. The two men stood feet from each other, watching Miri.

"Thank you," Miri said, meekly, to both of them. "Ben, papa… I feel so stupid for getting myself into such trouble." She shook her head in shame.

"It's me who got you in this mess in the first place, Miri," Lee said. "I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. But thanks to Obi-Wan, I have you safely home."

Miri's eyes snapped immediately from the floor to Obi-Wan, full of alarm.

"What? I… Obi-Wan…"

"Your father knows, Miri," Obi-Wan said gravely.

"Knows?" Miri did not know how much, so she treaded lightly, lest she give more away than she should.

"He knows enough. He knows who I am. And… he knows why I've been your tutor these past several weeks."

Miri's eyes filled with dread. A million excuses filled her mind. She couldn't bare the thought of him knowing she had lied.

"Dad, I am sorry, I couldn't tell you… I didn't know _how_ to tell you." She stammered.

Her father sat in the chair next to hers, facing her. He grabbed her hands, wrapping them in his. He was quiet for a moment, staring at their clasped hands. He sighed.

"I… haven't been entirely truthful with you either, I'm afraid."

Miri blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You see… I'm not angry that you lied. I'm not angry for what Obi-Wan and you have been doing. I understand it. And part of me knew that something like this was bound to happen when you were older."

"Something like what?" Miri looked to Obi-Wan for an explanation. All she got was his typical contemplative stance, his arms crossed, hand at his beard, and silence.

"You see," Lee took a deep breath. "Your mother was profoundly gifted. You're smart as a whip, just like her. But she also gave you this ability that Obi-Wan is trying to teach you to use."

"I don't understand." Miri could feel her heart thumping in her chest.

He continued, his voice full of sadness. "Your mother wasn't from Dantooine. Your mother was from Alderaan. But she lived most of her life on Coruscant." Another pause. "She fled the Jedi Temple when she was very young, and in grave danger."

"Obi-Wan?" she looked to him in confusion.

He nodded. "Your mother was the padawan of the great Master Mace Windu. She fled from Palpatin before she became a Jedi Knight. Her name was well known among the Jedi. Until several hours ago, I and the rest of the Jedi Order believed her to have perished on a mission." He waited for her reaction. He could feel her anger and sadness rising. He would have to bring her down eventually, but now was not the time.

She pulled her hands away from her father slowly, and crossed her arms over her still-bare midsection. "You kept this from me." She spoke barely higher than a whisper, but still her words were steeped in disbelief.

"Yes."

"You _lied_."

"To keep you safe."

" _Safe_? From whom?"

"The Emperor. He would have used you like he tried to use your mother."

"Every memory I have of her is a lie." Miri's voice wavered at the end, and she fought back the prickle of tears.

"No. Your mother loved you. She left that life back in Coruscant. She made a new one here, with us. That's all that mattered."

Miri stood. Her vision seemed to blur. "All those years. I could have been learning from her. I could have understood why I felt so… different." The tears were close. She spoke calmly, if only to control her own emotions. It disturbed Lee more than he would have liked. He had expected her to yell. Her deadpan responses made it even more painful for him.

"She made her choice. She wanted to spare you from that life."

She remained silent for a moment. Without a word, Miri walked slowly to her room, grabbed a pack, and began stuffing a change of clothing into it. The two men followed, exchanging a knowing glance. They stood at the doorway.

"What are you doing?" Lee asked. He knew this was a likely outcome.

"I need to think. I can't do that here." She looked up at Obi-Wan with a serious look in her eyes. He nodded, silently acknowledging that it was with him that she would be leaving.

She walked past the two of them without a word, and paused at the front entryway. She was waiting for Obi-Wan to follow. Lee walked with Obi-Wan, and addressed his daughter.

"Just know that everything your mother and I did… we did out of love. When you're ready to talk, I'm here." Miri turned and left before she would let her tears fall in front of her father. The moment she stepped out into the sunlight, walking towards Obi-Wan's hover bike, she allowed silent tears to fall.


	22. Chapter 22

Obi-Wan stood next to his hover bike, looking down at Miri. Her hands grasped his robes, and he put his arms around her still-bare back. Obi-Wan pressed his lips to the top of her head, and breathed. He was so relieved to have her back, but at this moment, Miri's pain was palpable.

"Let's go." Obi-Wan knew there were no words he could say right now that would make her feel better. Standing there in an alley, Obi-Wan knew they were exposed to too many possibilities of prying eyes and ears. He pulled back from their embrace, and looked into her eyes. His expression changed to sadness and pity when he saw that Miri's eyes had reddened with the few tears she'd allowed herself to shed.

He shook his head and wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs. Leaning down, Obi-Wan placed a gentle kiss on her lips. With a sigh, Miri pulled back from Obi-Wan and sat on the hover bike, waiting for Obi-Wan to drive them away.

By the time they had reached Obi-Wan's hut, it still was only midday, but already Miri felt exhausted. She'd had no sleep the night before, chained in Jabba's palace, and the morning's revelation had done nothing for the state of her emotions. When they arrived to the hut, Miri dismounted, feeling twenty pounds heavier. Obi-Wan sensed all that she was feeling, and when they both were inside the hut, he took her bag from her, tossing it onto the lounge chair.

He grabbed her hand and turned her to face him.

"Talk to me. Say something."

"I don't know if I can. There's just so much. I think if I talk about it now, I'll just fall to pieces."

Obi-Wan traced his knuckles along her jaw line. "Then I will put you back together."

"I can't bring myself to think about it. Not yet." Miri's eyes pleaded with Obi-Wan's. "I just want to know one thing."

Obi-Wan waited.

"How long did you know?"

Obi-Wan exhaled. "Your father told me last night. After we left the palace. I would never have kept anything like that from you."

"I know…" Miri pulled back from Obi-Wan running her hands through her hair, which would need some taming fairly soon. She sighed, and walked to Obi-Wan's bed, sitting on the edge of it. She put her face in her hands, and rubbed at her forehead and eyes. Obi-Wan took the opportunity to take the two lightsabers off his belt, putting them both safely on his small dining table. Now was not the time to hand her mother's over.

He approached Miri, sitting next to her on the bed. She kept her head in her hands, but seemed to soften now that Obi-Wan had sat beside her. Obi-Wan's hand found her upper back, where her hair had splayed messily. Obi-Wan brushed it over one of her shoulders, and set to running his hand gently over her skin in a tender gesture. Miri sighed. Encouraged by her reaction, Obi-Wan leaned over, and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. He continued to do so until Miri straightened her back, turned to Obi-Wan, and placed her hands gently on the back of his head. She sat there, regarding Obi-Wan's face for a moment before speaking.

"Why are you so good to me?" It was meant to be a rhetorical question. Obi-Wan knew this was probably not the best moment for grand gestures, but he seized it none the less.

"Because I'm in love with you, Miriam." His hands came up to rest on hers, pulling them down so he could run his thumbs along the insides of her wrists.

"You…" Miri's breath caught in her chest. "You are?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan said simply, bringing one hand to her face, running his thumb lovingly along her chin. "I should have told you sooner."

Miri smiled as Obi-Wan closed the distance between them, bringing his lips to hers. She returned his kiss, still in disbelief over the words that had just come from Obi-Wan's mouth. In between kisses, Miri smiled. After several minutes, as their kisses grew more and more urgent, Obi-Wan pulled back. Miri reluctantly followed Obi-Wan's lead.

"Now," he said, taking a breath to steel himself. "I think I'm going to draw you a bath. You can wash up, and get into something else. It'll do you a world of good." He stood, leaving Miri flustered on his bed. A million thoughts raced through her head, first of which was that Obi-Wan was very clearly trying to find something to do to put some distance between them. The second was her unbelievable happiness that Obi-Wan had professed his love for her.

Truthfully, Miri had been in love with him for nearly as long as they'd known each other, but having heard it from Obi-Wan made her more confident about what she had known for several weeks. Miri put her hair behind her ears and left the bed, approaching the small refresher room in which Obi-Wan was drawing water into a large basin.

When she reached the entrance, she leaned against it, halway into the room already. She contemplated what Obi-Wan was doing. She smirked to herself as Obi-Wan seemed to be sweetly trying to avoid the inevitable. He truly was a gentleman, and clearly did not wish to take advantage of Miri's delicate state. He looked up at her, standing there in next to nothing, and brushed his falling hair off his forehead. It did little good, as it was getting longer. He would need it cut before too long.

Miri's mischevious streak threatened to surface, seeing him this way. Miri smiled at him, approaching and placing a small kiss on his lips.

"Thank you," she said.

"Right, then," he said, nodding. He left before he could think of anything else to say. Miri had to stifle a small laugh. She shook her head as she began to undo the haltered top, admitting to herself that she did feel the need to wash off all evidence of her experience the night before. She climbed into the basin, and sat, washing her hair.

Obi-Wan sat in his reading chair, hands clasped patiently, and forearms against his knees. He had no idea what to do with himself. He could not account for why he felt so awkward. His wisdom told him that it was his admission of love that made him this unsure of himself. Having no experience with women, and no experience in love, he had no idea how to conduct himself. He wanted Miri desperately, but had stopped himself before things could get out of hand.

Miri had stopped him the last time, and had expected her to do so this time. When she didn't, he seized up, and did it himself. If he was telling himself the truth, he was scared beyond all measure, but he still wanted her with unwavering sincerity. With his heart pounding, Obi-Wan drew his eyes from their fixed position on the floor to the refresher room, where he had deliberately not been looking.

Obi-Wan's hut was by no means large. And with the size of the hut came a degree of exposure that one could not avoid. But before him was no accident. He peered up helplessly as Miri stood there, towel in hand, blotting at her wet hair. In that moment, Miriam had one of two choices. Miri's initial reaction was to cover herself, protecting her modesty, but at that moment, it did not seem like the choice she wanted. So emboldened by Obi-Wan's words, and his actions those moments before, Miri held his gaze, and dropped her towel to the floor.

This action ignited the fire that had been burning low in Obi-Wan. He stood quickly, and began taking the few steps between his bed and the refresher hastily. When he reached Miri, standing there in the lukewarm water, he wrapped his arms around her waist, bending slightly to pick her up. She held on tightly as he lifted her out of the basin, and turned to carry her the rest of the way towards his bed. He set her down gently, but with urgency, in front of his bed. The two of them stood there, Obi-Wan's mouth on hers in a passionate kiss, and Miri was vastly aware of the overwhelming abundance of clothing Obi-Wan was wearing in comparison to her.

Miri had begun to feel self-conscious, bared to him for the first time. True, he had seen almost all there was to see of her, but this was different. Without a thought, Miri brought her arms up to her chest to cover it. He noticed her change, and put his hands on the sides of her face, kissing her lips sweetly.

"Don't," he said, kissing his way down to her jawline, and below her ear. "You're beautiful. I want to see all of you."

His eyes were full of warmth, and Miri felt instantly safe. Smiling, she reached forward, and grabbed at Obi-Wan's robes, while returning to kiss him. She fumbled about his robes, pulling and tugging where they would give. Soon, Obi-Wan's robes started to fall to the floor, his boots quickly being kicked off to meet them. He stood before her clad only in his breeches. He held Miri to himself tightly, relishing in the feeling of her skin against his. His skin was hot in comparison to hers, having just come out of the refresher. Her skin had a dewy feeling, and Miri clung to him eagerly, happy to feel warmth.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Miri was aware of what she was doing, but still she surprised herself. She lowered one hand, and rested it on the waist of Obi-Wan's breeches. She tugged slightly at them, and Obi-Wan picked up on the hint. Following Miri's instructions, Obi-Wan lowered them to the ground, and stepped out of them, kicking them to join his robes and boots. There they stood, nothing between them. Miri's heart pounded as she realized she had no idea what to do with Obi-Wan, standing there in front of her. Obi-Wan picked up on her hesitation, and pulled her against him in another embrace, kissing her tenderly.

With Miri still in his arms, Obi-Wan began to lower her onto his bed. When she was safely and comfortably on the bed, Obi-Wan supported himself with his arms, and hovered slightly over her. With his legs between hers, Obi-Wan laid kisses along Miri's jaw, trailing down to her neck and collarbone. Miri ran her hands through Obi-Wan's hair helplessly, her head beginning to swim. Her breath seemed shallow and ragged.

When his mouth met the sensitive skin of her breasts, Miri gave a small gasp of surprise. Obi-Wan's eyes lifted to Miri's face, and when he found no sign of discomfort, continued his work. After a moment, Obi-Wan ascended from his position, and came to rest between Miri's legs, supporting himself on his elbows. He pulled back just enough to see Miri's face, and brushed away the damp strands of hair that had clung to her cheek.

Miri took a steadying breath. She looked into Obi-Wan's blue eyes, and broke their silence.

"I love you too," she said, searching him for a reaction. Obi-Wan's expression was soft, full of love. He shook his head in disbelief at how lucky he felt. He returned her words with a kiss, which deepened instantly. Without a word, Obi-Wan shifted his weight, his hardness resting against her. Still, he paused when he had gone that far.

He felt just how ready she was for him, resting against her so. The feeling of it made him shudder slightly. He shut his eyes tightly to steady himself. All he had to do was push forward, but he would not do so without her instruction. So, Obi-Wan paused there, searching her amber-hued eyes for permission. She froze only momentarily. With her arms around Obi-Wan's shoulders, she brought a hand to rest on the side of his face, brushing back his hair. With a slight kiss, Miri whispered to Obi-Wan all he needed to hear.

"Yes," she said, punctuating it with another kiss, which Obi-Wan returned passionately.

With no other instruction needed, Obi-Wan began to press forward until he felt himself enter her slowly. He had heard small accounts of what this was like for people on their first try. With this knowledge, Obi-Wan took his time, occasionally pulling back. In time, Miri's hips began to move in response with Obi-Wan's, and eventually, Obi-Wan found himself completely inside her. Obi-Wan's movements elicited sounds from Miri that he had recalled so fondly, and quickly was changing up his angles and pressure in experimentation of what would cause more of these sounds.

Before long, the two of them had reached their climax, and they both laid there trembling in the wake of such heightened feeling. Still inside Miri, Obi-Wan pulled his head back enough to face Miri, and kissed her again before telling her all over again, "I love you."


	23. Chapter 23

Miri awoke in a fog. She felt as if she'd been dragged from a coma. Her eyes felt heavy. Slowly she began to take inventory of her surroundings. It wasn't her bed she was in. It was Obi-Wan's. She was covered only in a thin blanket, and next to her laid Obi-Wan. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and sighed, stretching slightly. In the hours that followed their making love, Miri had laid in bed with Obi-Wan, leaving only if absolutely necessary. They had both fallen asleep before the suns had set.

She was happy to see that she'd woken first. She rolled over and observed her sleeping lover. The bedcovering had come up to only his stomach, and an arm was resting above his head. She observed the few scars on his otherwise perfect skin, and knew there had to be a story attached to each one. Unable to stop herself, Miri's hand extended and rested on one that fell just below one shoulder. He stirred under her touch, still not opening his eyes. Miri kissed his other shoulder, running her hand down to the middle of his chest. He smiled, and opened his eyes in response to her touches.

Bringing his arm down from above his head, Obi-Wan brushed the hair from the side of Miri's face. She smiled and leaned into his touch. "Good morning," she said, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Good morning," Obi-Wan repeated, thoughtfully. Slowly, Obi-Wan's hand came to rest on the place where Miri's neck met her shoulder. A bruise had formed there where Jabba's collar had rested heavily. His eyebrows knit together, and his jaw set in anger at the memory of seeing Miri the way Jabba had kept her.

"What is it?" Miri asked, concerned at Obi-Wan's expression.

With his eyes still fixed on the bruise that was under his fingers, Obi-Wan spoke with a level tone. "Every bruise I've seen on your body has been one too many."

Miri sighed, and took Obi-Wan's hand from her shoulder, and pulled it down between the two of them. "All that's over now," she kissed the palm of his hand. "And I have you keeping me safe now."

Determined to turn the mood of the morning into a more positive one, Miri smiled and scooted her body closer to Obi-Wan's, lifting the portion of the blanket that still separated them. Neither had dressed, and soon Miri felt the warmth of Obi-Wan's skin on hers as she rested her head beneath his chin, wrapping her arm around his torso.

Obi-Wan sighed contentedly, and held Miri. In no time at all, he found his body reacting to her proximity. He hummed in approval as he felt himself harden and press against her stomach. Miri pulled her head back and kissed Obi-Wan as her hand made its way down to meet him. Her hand wrapped around him, and he gave a small groan of what sounded like approval, but also mixed with a small amount of agony.

"You can't do that to me," he said, his lips a fraction from hers.

"Why not?" she asked, and placed kisses along his neck.

He breathed in reluctantly, and put his hand between her legs. She gave a small cry of surprise when his fingers found her, caressing and coaxing. Slowly he pressed one, and then two fingers into her, gauging her reaction. Though what he was doing felt intoxicatingly good to Miri, she couldn't help but draw in breath slightly when she felt a soreness inside her that she had not felt the night before.

"That hurts?" Obi-Wan asked, already knowing the answer.

"A little," she said, still proceeding with her work on Obi-Wan. He withdrew his hand, and gently pulled hers away as well, resting it on his chest.

"Then we mustn't proceed," he said, kissing her lips lightly. "Not just yet."

Miri sighed. "I'm sorry," she said. She had no idea what compelled her to apologize.

Obi-Wan's eyes snapped open, and he pulled back far enough to give Miri a serious look. "There is nothing to be sorry for. It won't be like this much longer. But you never have to do anything when you don't feel up to it. Not ever."

Miri nodded. Still, she smiled. "It was perfect though," she said, referring to what had transpired the day before.

"I couldn't agree more," Obi-Wan said, kissing her deeply. Reluctantly he pulled himself from Miri, and sat up, slipping his breeches on, and padding across the synstone floor to the stove, where he began boiling a pot of water for tea.

Miri watched him with ardor as he worked, clad only in his breeches, his hair falling messily into his eyes. She couldn't believe her luck at finding a man as handsome as he. But more than his outward appearance, Miri had fallen for his quiet calmness, and how he carried himself with such a grace. She wondered if all Jedi Masters had been this way, or if this was something unique to him.

Suddenly, she felt all the questions she had rising up in her. He had so much knowledge of the force, the Jedi Order, its history. And she had none. She felt saddened at this deficit of knowledge, excited at the possibility of learning, and self-conscious about her shortcomings all at once. She was finding that, when it came to Obi-Wan, emotions were layered and multifaceted. It had never been a feeling she thought she would have.

She sat with the blanket wrapped around her chest, her feet on the stone floor, and watched Obi-Wan as he readied their tea. All of these emotions converged as she observed her lover. Her teacher.

As if Miri had roused him from his thoughts, Obi-Wan turned his face towards her. He looked over her with concern.

"Tell me what's wrong," he said, approaching her. She stood to deflect his concern, setting about dressing herself. She slipped her breeches on, and was pulling her tunic on over her head when she responded.

"Nothing," Miri said, pulling her hair out from inside the tunic. She set to securing her belt, when Obi-Wan's hands met hers, stopping them. She looked up at him pleadingly.

"I've been trained my whole life as a Jedi. You've only just begun, Miri," Obi-Wan said, his voice full of care.

Miri's eyes widened. "I… I don't know what you mean."

Obi-Wan moved his hands to the sides of Miri's face. He kissed her forehead. He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"You feel self-conscious. You can't compare our base of knowledge because that's not fair to you. In fact… The force is so strong with you, I can scarcely believe it. It comes so naturally to you. You're the padawan a Jedi always dreams of having."

Miri frowned. "How did you know what I was feeling? How did you know in such detail? I can pick up on peoples' feelings, but never like that."

Obi-Wan sighed. He moved his hands from her face, and took her hands in his, and guided her to the bed. They sat side by side.

Obi-Wan ran his hands through his hair, which fell back into his eyes once he'd finished. After a pause, he spoke. "It's called a force bond." He waited, gauging her reaction. "It's a bond that is formed between a padawan and their master."

"Did you form that with…" Miri didn't finish the question. She dare not speak his name. She felt the sadness building in Obi-Wan.

"Yes," he said. "It's helpful with training. It can help me respond when you're in danger. When we are in battle, we fight better."

Miri nodded. She waited. She could sense that Obi-Wan was holding something back.

"There's more."

"There's more," Obi-Wan confirmed. "It's formed most of the time gradually, through careful meditation. But occasionally it can be formed in other ways. Events of great emotion, such as near-death experiences. Stress."

"Us being together." Miri added. She knew it was what bonded them.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said. He did not sound saddened by it; merely aware of the seriousness of the situation. "With Anakin the bond was formed over time. But with you, I've felt it grow astronomically since yesterday. I never felt this with either of my masters, Qui-Gon or Yoda."

"Is that bad?" Miri asked tentatively.

"No," Obi-Wan shook his head vehemently. "It's just… Jedi weren't allowed to form romantic attachments, let alone with their pupils. I'm afraid I know nothing of what this could mean for us. I don't have the archives anymore, so much may remain a mystery. I think though that this is remarkable. I think you're going to grow into a strong user of the force."

"Not a Jedi though," Miri said, sadly.

"No," he said. "But that is just a name now. And quite possibly a death sentence if the wrong people hear it."

The two sat silently for a moment. Obi-Wan held Miri's hands. "I hate feeling your sadness. I will do my very best as your teacher. I will teach you everything I know."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," she said.

"But…?"

Miri smiled. "I'm never going to be able to hide anything again, am I?"

"Probably not, no." Obi-Wan gave a half smile.

"I just… I wish I could have learned some of this, any of this, from my mother."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I had hoped we'd talk about this soon." He stood, instructing Miri to stay put. He crossed the room, and tended to their tea, letting it brew. After he had taken care of that, he grabbed the light saber that had been resting on the table all night. Miri hadn't noticed it since Obi-Wan set it down the day before. He returned to her side, and held it out for her.

With trepidation, Miri accepted it. Her throat became dry. She knew this was the one she'd held before.

Without knowing how, Miri spoke of memories that had long laid dormant. "I found it in a chest in my parents' room. My father had been so angry. Said I could have been hurt." Images of her parents fighting surfaced. The last one she saw was her mother placing her hands on her temples. The rest was gone.

"She took the memory. How is that possible?"

"Your mother was trained by Mace Windu. She was approached by Palpatin. I imagine your mother had great power. And you were very young. Too young to resist force persuasion."

Miri sighed. Pointing the light saber away from the two of them, Miri ignited it, observing the purple blade. After a moment, she retracted the blade, and set it down.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she spoke. "Jedi can come back," she said. "In a way."

Obi-Wan looked surprised. "Yes, Miri. They can. How did you…?"

"Qui-Gon," Miri said through a wry smile. "I thought it was to ward me off. I think he wanted to establish contact. He cares very deeply for you."

"Should I even ask?" he said.

"I think it was meant to be private," Miri said, with compassion.

"Miri… When a Jedi appears after death, it… It's not common. I could hardly believe it myself, when Master Yoda told me that Qui-Gon had learned."

"So I shouldn't hold out hope, you're saying."

"I couldn't say. But I think it's safer to assume you won't see her again."

Miri felt the prickle of tears, and brought her hand to her eye to wipe them away before they had a chance to fall. She sniffed as she shook her head. Obi-Wan placed his hand on her back, and brushed her hair over one shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Your mother may not have taught you, Miri," Obi-Wan said, turning her chin gently so she faced him. "But I hope I can be an adequate substitute." With this, Miri wrapped her arms around Obi-Wan and rested her head on his shoulder.

"As for learning more about her as a person…" Obi-Wan started. "Your father wants to tell you everything."

Miri shook her head. "I can't." She thought about the possibility of never speaking to her father again, which is how she felt at that moment. In an instant, she regretted her feelings, knowing that would break her heart even more. "Not yet," she added.

Obi-Wan kissed the top of her head. He was happy that she did not seem like she would be mad forever. "Ok." He stood, and poured their tea, content to leave the conversation where it was.

Together, they sat in the morning light on the landing behind his hut, drank their tea, and meditated together, learning the depths of their new bond.

* * *

 **AN: I am so sorry it took me so long to update my story. After I made my last update, someone offered to buy my husband's house, and now someone's offered to buy _my_ house, so it's been a solid month of crazy errands and paperwork to get to closing. We are in the process of moving across the country, and I am still working until the end of the school year. It's a crazy saga! So, with all that, I hadn't felt very inspired, and was also so tired most days I came home. BUT, I see your follows, favorites and review notifications on my email, and I really want to continue with the story if not for the sake of the story, but for you guys who've been so encouraging.**

 **So, I will try to give at least another update before the weekend is over. I just wanted to put this up to finally give you the update you've been so patient for. Thanks for being understanding of how nutty my life has gotten.**


	24. Chapter 24

Sweat descended from between her shoulder blades, falling and settling in the divot of her lower back, just above her hips. She moved fluidly, doing exactly as Obi-Wan instructed. His hands rested firmly on both sides of her hips, directing her movement. They'd been at this for a half an hour, and the ambient temperature was starting to get to her.

"Just like that," Obi-Wan stepped back, watching as Miri repeated the same steps with the lightsaber. It was a series of blocks, pivots, and turns, to be drilled and memorized. Miri felt stupid, clumsy and embarrassed at how slowly she thought she was learning. Regardless, Miri swallowed her pride, and progressed through the steps as instructed.

"Good, Miri," Obi-Wan praised. He had his lightsaber drawn, and was completing the steps alongside her. He remembered fondly his lessons with Qui-Gon and Yoda, drilling the same movements. He remembered how foolish he felt, but he too remembered that when combined with a mirrored set of movements, they formed a perfect marriage of lightsaber attacks and counter attacks.

In a few moments, Obi-Wan was willing to reverse his roll.

"Now, I want you to continue to with those movements, and do not hesitate. Do exactly as I've instructed. I am going to introduce the counter movements."

"Wait, are you sure? Shouldn't we be using a remote first?" Miri stopped her movements, and lowered her lightsaber blade.

Obi-Wan held his blade up and nodded. "I haven't fixed the one I have in the hut. There will be plenty of time for that. Trust your feelings, Miri."

Miri swallowed, and assumed the first position. At Obi-Wan's count, she began with her movements, Obi-Wan's blade colliding with hers every few seconds. Once the succession of attacks and counter-attacks was over, Obi-Wan lowered his blade, and praised Miri again.

"Good," he said, turning with his side to Miri, adjusting her stance in the hot Tatooine sand. Her heels sunk slightly, but she settled into each adjustment Obi-Wan made. It was going to be a long day, she could tell that much.

* * *

Miri stood in Obi-Wan's hut, and after hours of drills in the heat of the Tatooine suns, peeled off the damp clothing that she'd been wearing. She had stripped down to the lowest layers she could manage, and looked at the only change of clothing she had. She sighed in defeat as she realized she would have to return to Mos Eisley before long to either pack more clothes, or stay with her father. Neither sounded appealing at the moment.

Resigned to rewashing her clothing, Miri took off the remaining layers, and brought them to the same place where she'd washed Obi-Wan's sheets when he'd been sick. After placing the clothes in their tub of water and suds, Miri wrapped a towel around her torso, and set to scrubbing and rinsing.

Moments later, Obi-Wan entered through the back of the hut, thoroughly engrossed in the remote that had not needed fixing until Miri had come along, in need of lightsaber training. As he entered, he had not expected what he saw.

"Miri, it looks like you'll be able to train with the remote after…" He caught sight of her, clad only in a towel, intent on washing her clothes. He cleared his throat. "After all."

She turned around, ringing out the garments, and shook them out as she faced Obi-Wan. "Good," she sighed, passing Obi-Wan on her way out to the back courtyard to hang her clothes in the abrasive sunlight, where they would be dry within the hour.

Obi-Wan spoke to her, amusedly, as she entered the hut again. "I guess that will have to wait, then," he smirked.

She smiled back at him, and took the remote from his hands, setting it down on the table. "I couldn't sit around in them like that. And yours," Miri began pulling at Obi-Wan's tunic, which was tucked beneath his belt, "can't be much better." She watched as Obi-Wan closed his eyes contentedly as her hands settled on his lower abdomen, playing slightly at the place where his pants met his waist.

Tucking a finger into the waist of his pants, Miri pulled Obi-Wan's hips to hers and looked up at him expectantly. She knew exactly what she was doing, Obi-Wan silently marveled.

"And is it working?" she asked, having picked up on his thoughts, which broadcasted loud and clear.

Obi-Wan didn't humor her with an answer, and laced his fingers through her hair, pulling her into a kiss. Miri sunk into Obi-Wan's lips, and continued to pull at his clothes until he stood before her in only his pants. She parted from him for a moment, and began placing kisses on his broad chest, over the slight dusting of sandy hair. Obi-Wan cradled Miri's head affectionately as he relished in her ministrations.

She pulled back, looking up at him, and gasped as Obi-Wan all but tore the towel that was still wrapped around her chest. Obi-Wan possessively placed his hands under Miri's arms, and lifted her much as he'd done the previous night, and walked her to his bed. Her legs clutched his waist for support. He carefully laid her across the sheets, still in disarray from the morning, and knelt between her legs, settling in to kiss her impatiently.

"Are you sure you want to just yet?" he asked, pausing briefly.

"Yes," Miri said, almost breathlessly. Though she wasn't entirely sure, she knew she wanted Obi-Wan even more than the night before, and that morning.

Obi-Wan, as if picking up on Miri's thoughts, began kissing her body, starting at her neck, and descending to her chest, pausing briefly to play at the sensitive skin of her breasts. At her small intakes of breath, Obi-Wan smiled wickedly, peering up at Miri, whose face contorted in pleasure. She opened her eyes, making eye contact with Obi-Wan. Just as she thought he was about to come back up to kiss her Obi-Wan continued to descend and kiss her stomach.

Fear began to swell in her as she watched Obi-Wan go lower.

"Obi-Wan, what are you doing?" Miri asked, trying not to sound too alarmed, rising up on her elbows.

He gave a comforting smile, and grabbed her hand, kissing her palm.

"Do you trust me?"

"Y-yes…" she said, punctuating her answer with a small nod.

"This shouldn't be uncomfortable. But you have to trust me, and you have to relax."

She nodded her head, and leaned back down, still watching Obi-Wan. Patiently, he made his way down to her hips, and settled comfortably with his shoulders under her knees. With one hand pressed on Miri's exposed stomach, he kissed his way down from her thighs and hovered above her momentarily before finally placing his mouth over her.

As if a jolt of lightning ran through her, one of Miri's hands shot to Obi-Wan's hair, and the other gripped at the sheets on the bed, both searching for support. Urged on by Miri's response, Obi-Wan deepened his workings, learning what made her grip his hair harder, what made her back arch, and what made her hold her breath.

Obi-Wan's connection to Miri through the force felt amplified, and using this to his advantage, he was able to bring Miri to the edge, causing her to cry out, her body tensing momentarily before relaxing completely. Obi-Wan still continued his work, and within a moment, Miri pulled away from him.

"It's too much," she pleaded. She panted, smiling and chuckling to herself. This made Obi-Wan smile, and he crawled up to where he was before, his hips settling between her thighs. Miri smiled, and kissed Obi-Wan, the scent and taste of her on him. This seemed to ignite more of a desire within her, and within moments, she was grabbing at Obi-Wan's pants, tugging them off.

He smiled in disbelief. He searched her eyes for reassurance. She nodded, acknowledging that she couldn't wait any longer. Satisfied with her answer, Obi-Wan stood back up, dropping his pants, finally completely bare in front of her.

Miri reached impatiently for him, and guided him inside her with just as much urgency. At their joining, Obi-Wan paused briefly to allow himself to adjust to the sensation. This being only their second time together, Obi-Wan still had not become accustomed to such intense pleasure. Within a moment though, Obi-Wan began to move his hips in sync with Miri's.

Every sense was heightened, and Obi-Wan marveled that something as beautiful as this could be denied to the Jedi. Kissing Miri briefly, Obi-Wan lovingly watched Miri's face as he made love to her. As if guided by their force connection, Miri and Obi-Wan both locked eyes and climaxed together. For several moments, they both laid there tangled in each other, coming down from their pleasure.

Obi-Wan, reluctant to break the contact they had, rolled to Miri's side, and flopped on his back. Miri followed suit, and rolled over, resting her head on Obi-Wan's chest, nestling in the crook of his arm. After a few moments of silence, Miri sighed, and flattened a hand on Obi-Wan's stomach.

"We're eventually going to have to go back, aren't we?" she referred, of course, to Mos Eisley.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said. He curved his arm up, and helped pull Miri's long hair off her shoulder. "Though, I am selfish enough to want to keep you here forever."

Miri was quiet. Her thoughts roved over her options. What laid waiting for her back home in Mos Eisley. Staying in the Dune Sea with Obi-Wan forever seemed like the best choice in the world, but she knew she would have to return to reality. The thought of spending nights apart from Obi-Wan filled her with dread. Picking up on her emotions, Obi-Wan held Miri tighter, pressing his lips to her hair.

"Everything's going to be different, isn't it?" she asked, picking her head up, and looking Obi-Wan in the eyes.

"Yes, Miriam, I should think so," he said, running a finger along her jaw line. "Different isn't always bad, though." He was quiet a moment. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Miri nodded. No matter where she ended up—Mos Eisley, or out in the Dune Sea with Obi-Wan—she knew that she was his, and he was hers, and nothing would ever change that.

* * *

 **AN: Oh my, what wonderful comments and reviews! Always brings a smile to my face. FromTheClouds: what a thoughtful thing to say! Thank you!**

 **This was just a little fluff for the time being. Hoping to move the plot along soon, with some twists here and there.**


	25. Chapter 25

Miri and Obi-Wan laid side by side in his bed, with the shared blanket tucked under their arms. They faced each other, speaking only intermittently. Obi-Wan brought his hands up to Miri's hair, and began running his fingers lightly through it. She closed her eyes in contentment.

"Mmm," she hummed in approval. "That's nice."

The suns had set by this time, and Miri had decided that she wasn't quite ready to return to Mos Eisley. She'd told Obi-Wan that in the morning, she would be ready to face her father, and hear what he had promised to tell her. Obi-Wan had promised that he would be there as long as she wanted him.

Which had brought them to the matter at hand. Miri hated the thought of returning to Mos Eisley for good. She felt that there was no way she could return to the way things were. Nor would she want to be apart from Obi-Wan. He had been silent since she'd asked him the question that still hung in the air.

"What now?" she had asked.

Obi-Wan, as wise as he was, had no idea how to answer that. He had gone over all the different scenarios. She could return to Mos Eisley, and continue to live with her father. But she had promised her work at the cantina was over, which left her working for her father. As luck would have it, Lee had all the help he needed in Bastien, his new apprentice. This left Miri with little to no purpose. She was no longer studying languages formally. There was no way in the universe she would be going to one of the Academies.

No, Obi-Wan knew that her place was with him. Where he could train her properly. Where he could watch over her. But it was a solitary life out in the Dune Sea. The hut rested on what used to be a moisture farm. Obi-Wan had considered making it a working farm again, selling his harvest at the market to supplement what money Bail Organa had given him to fund his vigil over Luke. Obi-Wan was not intimidated by a mundane life as a moisture farmer, but worried that life in a small hut would not be enough for Miri.

He wanted her with him, that much was certain. But if they were to keep attention away from them, and by proxy Luke, the best way to keep tongues from wagging in the market of Mos Eisley was to keep her there with him under legitimate circumstances.

He worried, irrationally, that being his wife would not amount to what Miri deserved. He was in disbelief that he was not only thinking about marriage, but thinking about it pragmatically, which made him feel worse about it to begin with. Even though it was a desire he was certain they both shared, his approach to it made it feel disingenuous to him.

So, Obi-Wan wondered to himself, "what now" indeed?

* * *

They all sat in uncomfortable silence. Miri wedged her hands between her knees, and sighed as she wondered who would start talking first.

It turned out to be Obi-Wan who spoke first.

"Lee," Obi-Wan started. "Miri knows all that you have told me. But I know she has questions of her own."

"Yes, anything," Lee said, "I'll tell you anything you want to know." He looked defeated. Ashamed he hadn't told her sooner. Sorry that things had to come out the way they did.

Miri bit her lip a moment. "Did you know? About me, I mean. Aside from my mother being this way, did I ever…"

"Did we see it manifest in you?" Lee clarified.

"Yes."

"Yes, we did. You were very young when you started exhibiting talents. But your mother was able to divert these talents. Distract you from them. It's why your mother insisted you put your energies into your education, not outdoor activities. Activities around too many children."

Miri's nostrils flared at that.

"Would you have ever told me? Would _she_?"

Lee sighed. "She wanted to. She was having regrets… near the end. But she still feared Palpatin. He swore he wouldn't stop looking for her. If what Obi-Wan says is true, he may not be anymore, now that he has Vader. But I just couldn't live with myself if he knew you existed."

Miri swallowed the urge to lash out at her father. She blinked back tears at having heard her mother might have come clean. But there was nothing to do about that.

"I just don't know how to feel anymore."

"I understand."

"I know now," Miri said simply. "And Obi-Wan is my teacher. Nothing can change that. I'm done with the cantina. I'm not going to one of the Academies, in the Empire, where I could be found out."

"Secretly I had hoped you never would… I'm relieved to hear it's not on your mind."

"But the fact remains. I may not be a student of languages anymore, but I am going to learn from Obi-Wan. I had hoped… It would just be easier if I were there. With him. I didn't have to take the speeder back and forth."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened. He hadn't come to that conclusion with Miri. Not verbally. But he knew Miri had most likely been thinking it too. He opened and closed his mouth. He rubbed at his beard thoughtfully.

"This is something you two have decided?" Lee asked, stoically.

"No, Lee," Obi-Wan said. "But, I had the same thoughts myself. Miri and I… have a special bond. The force connects us."

Lee nodded knowingly, and stared momentarily at his aged hands. "I know of this type of bond. Greta said it guides training between a master and padawan. She had one with Mace Windu. Although, I never understood how, through the bond, Master Windu never knew she was still alive."

"It's the distance," Obi-Wan said, as if reluctantly admitting a secret. "If a master and padawan are separated long enough, far enough… the feeling of absence can feel like a death."

Lee's eyes filled with understanding. He looked from his daughter to the man he still thought was far too old for his daughter.

"So you propose she lives with you?"

Obi-Wan's stomach lurched. "It would be the most logical move."

"Logic, Master Kenobi, is not enough to warrant my daughter moving in with a man to whom she is not married."

The word hung in the air. Obi-Wan and Miri exchanged a look. It was one of knowing.

"That has not been a discussion we have had, Lee." Obi-Wan uncrossed his legs, interlacing his fingers, and resting his arms on his thighs. "It is one that, logically, I know is far too soon. And extremely unorthodox in my case."

"Obi-Wan, everything about you coming into my daughter's life has been unorthodox," Lee admitted with some humor. He shook his head. "No, I must insist… I know that my daughter does not mind gossip, but I will not have her living with a man to whom she is not married. I care about how she is treated by others who might view the two of you living together, unmarried, as a scandal."

"I hardly think you have the right to decide for me. I'm not a child, father," Miri said, a little too indignantly.

"No, you are not," he said with seriousness. "So I expect you to look at this the way I am. Obi-Wan says it is too soon to marry, and I agree. I understand the necessity of living with him, and I will not stop you from doing so, but I beg that you do this the _right_ way. Obi-Wan, if you want my daughter to live with you, you will do right by her. And because you know this to be the right thing, I must ask that you wait before you do so."

"Wait?" Miri asked, confused.

"Give time for an engagement to be natural. Not rushed. Do this the way others in town do. And then you may have my blessing."

"Very well," Obi-Wan said, nodding. He extended a hand to Lee, and they shook hands.

* * *

Miri stood with Obi-Wan outside of her home. The suns were setting, casting an orange glow about the back alley of the complex of houses. Beside Obi-Wan's hover bike, he cradled Miri's face in one hand, running a thumb over her cheek, and held the small of her back with the other. Gazing into her eyes, he shook his head in disbelief.

"I have been to more planets than I can count," Obi-Wan started, "I have fought in so many battles, and seen so many evils, but I cannot describe to you how utterly terrified I was to have that conversation with your father."

They both laughed, smiling broadly, unable to hide their elation.

"I know it's unorthodox." Obi-Wan kissed Miri's forehead. "This is absolutely the last thing I expected to happen."

"But it looks like it is," Miri said, incredulous. "Are you sure this isn't… I don't want you to think that this is something you have to do." Her eyes searched his for any hint of doubt. She found none.

"Nonsense." Obi-Wan kissed her lips lightly. "The force has a will of its own. There are many mysteries of the force that are still unknown to me. They may always be unknown to me. But this much I know. Who am I to deny the will of the force?"

Resting her forehead on Obi-Wan's chest, Miri's eyes widened in disbelief. "Alright. I just don't know how long I'm going to be able to stand being apart."

"And how long, exactly, is an engagement on Tatooine?"

"No less than six weeks," she said. "Father is a little old-fashioned, and I know he would want one longer, but… half the girls I grew up with had suspiciously faster-than-normal engagements. It's become kind of the norm. I think we could get away with it."

"Now, who's to say we would be immune to such gossip?" Obi-Wan asked in mock surprise.

"Let's not worry about it _right now_ , ok?" Miri said, bringing her arms around Obi-Wan's neck, pulling him down into another kiss.

* * *

The fruits had all been stocked, and Miri had started packing smaller bags with the tealeaves from the large bag they came in. Humming as she worked, Miri's thoughts dwelled on Obi-Wan.

Part of her agreement for a period of engagement, with her father's blessing, was that while she lived at home, she worked the stall to help Bastien and her father. She was perfectly happy to comply with this request. It got her out of the house, kept her out of the cantina, and in six weeks, she would be able to be with Obi-Wan completely, with no expectations from anyone else.

Still daydreaming about Obi-Wan, Miri didn't notice the set of blue-skinned arms that snaked around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug from behind. Instantly, Miri knew whose they were. She smiled into them and hugged back.

"You are absolutely in trouble," she heard Jaki's voice from behind her. Turning, she saw the Twilek who had been her best friend since childhood.

"Why's that?" she asked.

"I had to hear from Mal," she said. " _Mal_! Our surly boss. I asked why you hadn't come into work now that the Hutt business is over with, and what did he tell me? That you'd gone and gotten yourself engaged and wouldn't be working there anymore."

Miri forced a smile, ducking her head slightly. "I was going to tell you tonight. When you got off work."

From the front of the stall, Bastien cleared his throat, pointedly not turning around to look at the two women gabbing in the back. He scratched at the ledger with a pen, actively listening but not listening. Distracted for only a moment, the two women reverted to their conversation.

"Well, I couldn't wait that long. I'm on my break. So naturally I had to come pester you," Jaki said, sitting on a nearby stool. "Ok, so when?"

"When what?" Miri said, blushing and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"When is this going to happen?"

"Six weeks," Miri said, tying a bag up, and stacking it with the others.

"I can't believe it. Ben Kenobi… What an enigma."

"I know, I hardly believe it myself."

"Well," Jaki said, "how'd he do it? How'd he ask?"

"Well, he didn't exactly ask or anything, it just sort of—"

Bastien let out a sigh from the front of the stall. Miri pressed her lips together for a moment.

"It's not really all that great of a story," Miri said, stalling her friend. She honestly hadn't thought of what she'd tell people when they asked. She made a note to herself to come up with a story to feed people when they did. "I don't want to take up too much of your break. I will see you after your shift is over. I'll come by the cantina after, how's that sound?"

"Ok, fine," Jaki said, standing and pulling her friend into a hug. "But I expect all the mush."

Miri nodded. "Of course."

When Jaki had gone, Miri watched as Bastien flipped a page with much more gusto than was necessary. She waited a few moments before speaking to him, his back still turned.

"You know, I never got to thank you for helping my father when the Hutts had me."

Bastien nodded silently. "Let's hope that doesn't happen again."

Miri sat dumbfounded. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?" She stood, approaching Bastien, and standing beside him, forcing him to look at her.

"I respect your father is all," he said, setting his pen down. "He's a good man, and the last thing I want is for him to have to run around after his daughter. Seeing him so distraught… No father should go through that."

Miri couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Unless I'm mistaken, Bastien, it was my own father who took a loan from the Hutts. And it was me who helped pay it off. Or did you forget that entirely?" She paused, waiting for an answer. "No, on second thought, I don't see why it concerns you in the least."

She turned on her heels, and retreated to the back of the tent. Bastien followed her. She turned, having felt him behind her.

"He's no good for you," he said, towering over her.

"My father?" Miri knew exactly who he meant, but wanted to allow him to walk himself out of the mess he was about to get himself into.

"Ben Kenobi," he said simply, setting his jaw.

"I don't see how it's any of your business," Miri said, trying to take calming breaths. She could feel the force practically crackling around her. She would lose control quickly if Bastien did not let up.

"It should have been." Bastien's green eyes burned with a fire that unsettled Miri.

"That's right, I forgot," she said, setting her hands on her hips. "My father had some foolish notion that you and I would get along. That he could hand pick my husband for me. That I'd have someone to 'take care' of me. I can take care of myself just fine."

"Is that what you call the business with the Hutts?" Bastien asked, glowering down at her.

Miri's face burned. She would not allow herself to get flustered. "I am far more capable than you know. But _you_ …" Miri could feel herself sinking deeper into her anger. "You barely feel like your life is under your control."

She began to reach forth into the front of Bastien's mind. Her judgment clouded with anger. "The last two women you courted rejected you. _We both know why_. But I'm telling you now, I never rejected you, because I was never going to be yours. I owe you _nothing_."

Bastien stepped back a pace, frightened at the accuracy of Miri's words. He racked his brain for how Miri knew about the other women he'd tried to court. Mos Eisley could seem like a small place, but in their case, they had enough degrees of separation that her words felt far too exact.

"I don't know who you've been talking to," Bastien started, "but what ever you've heard…" He shook his head, unsure how to finish the sentence.

"It doesn't matter," Miri said, chastising herself for reaching too far into Bastien's subconscious, out of anger. "I'm just here to help, Bastien. I hope we can work together amicably. While I'm still here. If not because it's the proper thing to do, then try to keep your thoughts to yourself for my father's sake. If you respect him as much as you say you do."

Bastien swallowed. He had no desire to lose his position, and by extension, the very business he was to take over upon Lee's retirement. Still, beneath his skin he itched with irritation at the accuracy of Miri's words.

Saying nothing, Bastien returned to his bookwork, but still, he vowed to find out exactly what Miri knew about him. And how.

* * *

 **AN: Ok, I wrote something I completely despise seeing in most fanfics... a quick engagement. But I promise I'm being thoughtful in my intentions. There is a purpose for everything.**

 **With that said, I hope this brightens your weekends, as I know I love when my favorite fics are updated. Hoping to keep up the trend of regular updates. Your reviews, follows and favorites are the fuel for that. I truly appreciate each of you taking the time to review or add a comment. Enjoy, and happy weekend!**


	26. Chapter 26

Miri studied the contents of her glass, waiting for Jaki's shift to end. The cantina felt different now that she was just a patron, and nothing more. Clothed in her normal attire, she drew little to no stares, which pleased her immensely. She smiled inwardly as she swallowed the last of the Corellian wine from the stemless cup. As she set down the glass, she wondered what places in the Republic, or rather the _Empire,_ that served their wine in glasses with stems, would be like. Setting the thought aside, she looked up at her friend who had sidled up carrying two more glasses of the deep hued wine.

"Just in time," Miri said, holding up her empty glass.

"Now," Jaki said, heaving a sigh, "Spill."

Miri blushed, taking her glass of wine, spinning it idly on the table. "Where do you want me to start?"

"At the beginning, of course," Jaki said.

"Well," Miri took in a breath. "You know how he came in here, and I shamelessly threw myself at him." She smiled, recalling that first night. "After coming by father's stall a few times, I learned that he uh, knew several languages, and he agreed to teach me." Miri paused. "I don't know, through our lessons, we just realized… that we were in love. And we made the decision. It was fairly simple."

"Wait, wait," Jaki said, setting her glass down after taking a drink. "So where does the Hutt business fit in?"

Miri licked her lips and thought on her toes. "Right, well… He walked me home one night, kept me from those goons. But as you know, it ended up not mattering and they got to me eventually." She swallowed, remembering the way Abraxas's closed fist felt when he'd hit her, again and again. "And I got stupid, went to pay them off on my own. I got cocky. That's when father and… _Ben_ ," she cleared her throat. She'd almost said Obi-Wan. "That's when they came and got me. After finally doing everything they asked, I got to leave. But, I wanted to stay with him. With Ben. I was so upset. Father understood."

" _Your_ father? Let you _stay the night_ at Ben Kenobi's?" Jaki's eyes filled with incredulity. Miri held her gaze, and nodded as if to say she couldn't believe it either.

"It's not going to be happening anymore, not until we're married," Miri said, blushing, remembering being with Obi-Wan.

" _It's_ not?" Jaki grinned ear to ear.

"Well," Miri added, cocking her head to the side a moment. "I won't be staying there, at the very least. I still have lessons to attend to, after all." Miri couldn't hide her smile.

The girls sat and gushed over the exciting upheaval of Miri's life. After a while, Miri had spun enough lies that Jaki was so far off the trail, Miri no longer worried her story with Obi-Wan could be called into question. She also had no doubt that once Jaki was convinced, when others came to her looking to confirm rumors that she was engaged to Ben Kenobi, she would be able to emphatically confirm. She also could be certain that Jaki would shoot down any rumors that concerned her, for lack of a better word, _honor_. Miri never felt that sex out of marriage was something to be ashamed of. The further into the Republic you got, the more people were accepting of it. But, as luck would have it, she was born in Tatooine, on the outskirts of civilization.

When asked how her father seemed to be handling the changes, Miri sighed. "Fine enough. He knows when I've got my mind set to something… It's Bastien I was surprised about."

"Bastien?" Jaki asked.

"Yeah, you know, my father's apprentice. A bit older than us? Dark curly hair, green eyes?"

"Yeah," Jaki said, quietly. She cleared her throat. "I know him." She paused. "What surprised you about him?"

"I don't know, Jak," Miri said, drinking more of her wine. "I just had this feeling, or rather I got the impression, that he thought he was going to have a shot with me. And he was angry when news of my engagement got out."

Jaki's lips pressed into a thin line, and she inclined her head once. "I could see that."

Miri waited for Jaki to elaborate. She'd picked up on only so much in Bastien's mind before she withdrew. She knew there was a reason he'd been so unsuccessful with women. She'd lied to scare him, telling him she knew. In truth, she knew only that he carefully guarded whatever secret it was.

When Jaki did not elaborate, Miri pressed further. "There was something that happened with him and some other girls… I heard something, but not much."

"Yeah, well you wouldn't, would you? Not the way their parents covered it up."

"It?"

Jaki finished her glass of wine, and twirled the empty glass on he table a moment before responding. "I don't know all the specifics, but I think it had a fair amount to do with him trying to use other than honorable means to get them to marry him. All I know is that it didn't work, but the parents had to do a whole lot of damage control to keep him away from their daughters."

Miri's stomach filled with rocks. She had an idea of what those means might have been.

"Do you know which girls those were?"

Jaki studied Miri a moment. "Why do you want to know?"

Miri swallowed the last of her wine in a bigger gulp than she'd anticipated. She cleared her throat. "I want to know if I have anything to worry about, working beside him for the next six weeks. Given what's happened to me over the past several weeks, I think you understand my concern."

Jaki's eyes darkened. Miri could see the names before she even said them, but still, she wanted her friend to volunteer them.

"Yula Sayed and Brinda Vereen. Brinda moved with her husband to Dantooine, but Yula is still here."

"Where does Yula live?"

"With her husband, in Mos Espa. He's a mechanic there."

Miri ran her fingers along her bottom lip. Mos Espa was not too far from Mos Eisley. She could get there in an hour or so if she used the hover car. She supposed, for a moment, that she could just look further into Bastien's thoughts, but there was no guarantee that the truth of the matter would be on his mind. She also had no idea how deeply she could reach into a person's mind. With so much to learn about controlling her use of the force, Miri felt that talking to Yula was the safest bet. With her mind made up, Miri nodded to Jaki.

"Thank you, Jaki. I hope I'm just being paranoid, and she doesn't tell me he's a womp rat of a human being."

"I hope that as well," Jaki said, taking the empty glasses, and out of habit, running them back up to the bar.

* * *

Miri sat on her bed, her legs pulled up to her chest, wrapped in a blanket. Miri held the communicator device to her mouth, and called Obi-Wan. Having resigned themselves to the fact that they would be separated for another six weeks, Miri and Obi-Wan decided that having a constant means of communication between them was best, and so before he left Mos Eisley, Obi-Wan picked up the parts necessary to fix his broken communicator.

After a moment, he answered.

"Is everything alright, Miri?"

"Yes, well…" Miri paused, wishing she were in Obi-Wan's bed, rather than her own. Wistfully, she continued. "It's Bastien. I'm hesitant to say anything here," Miri glanced towards her door, which was shut, but still she took no chances. "I just have a bad feeling about him. I need you to go with me to Mos Espa."

"What's in Mos Espa?" Obi-Wan's voice gave no hint of rapprochement.

"A girl. I need to speak with her. And, since I really don't want to go repeating what happened at Jabba's palace, I want you with me."

"I don't suppose I can argue with you about going, if I have no idea why you want to go in the first place. But I can sense how important this is to you, so of course we will go."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Miri said, relieved. She had come to count on her lover more than she knew. "I will be able to go tomorrow, if we leave early. I can get out of a half a day's work at the stall, but probably not much more without rousing suspicion."

"Say no more. I will be there at first light. I'll be out back. Now, you get your rest."

Miri smiled into her knees for a moment, and bid Obi-Wan goodnight. For a few moments, Miri rode the high of hearing Obi-Wan's voice, but soon it was replaced with a feeling of foreboding about what she would find out when she found Yula. She didn't even know if she'd be able to find Yula, but she had to try. There could only be one or two things that Bastien could have done to make a girl's parents have to orchestrate a cover-up, and any number of things Bastien could have done to make a girl reject him. None of the answers comforted her. Her feelings told her it was going to be bad. Determined to find some peace, Miri meditated, finding her center, and was able to sleep.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks again, guys, for being so patient! I'm still up to my eyeballs in moving boxes, but I like to set aside some time here and there to write. I still have a plan! ;)**

 **I had a reviewer ask for some photographic reference for what Miri looks like. There are a few reasons I'm hesitant to do this. I like readers to come up with their own interpretation and visualization of characters. We all know what Obi-Wan looks like, and I apologize if my description of Miri hasn't been thorough. So, to address this matter further, I've decided to keep a Tumblr blog about my writings, and will be posting pictures of things that come up in my stories (this is the only one I am working on). Might also just update on the writing process in general.**

 **So, I have put up a photo of a girl I feel personifies Miri relatively well. If you wish to follow, it's beneath-a-western-sky on Tumblr. If you don't need photographic help, then I'll see you at the next update (which will be soon!).**


	27. Chapter 27

In the pre-dawn light of Tatooine, Miri leaned against the synstone wall of her apartment, and kicked at the sand with a booted toe. She was early, but having been unable to get back to sleep at five, Miri decided she would wait for Obi-Wan outside. She'd left a note on the table for her father, and made excuses for herself. Whether or not the story stood up to her father's scrutiny, she was not concerned. She knew that whether or not he believed it, Lee Gorsa would make excuses for why she was not at the stall. More than anything, she only hoped that Bastien believed the story. The last thing she needed was Bastien growing suspicious of her.

Miri thought on the possible information she would gain from seeking out Yula Sayed. A small part of her hoped that they would not be able to find Yula, or that if they did, nothing she said would raise any red flags. But her feelings told her otherwise. The feeling of foreboding had kept her up, and it was the same feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach as she stood there, watching the shadows of small womp rats scurry to safety as the suns began to ascend, casting a light blue haze over the alleys.

Just as dawn broke, Miri heard the whir of Obi-Wan's hover bike. Relieved, Miri rounded the corner to meet him before he could come behind the building. Immediately picking up on Miri's feelings, Obi-Wan shut the bike down, dismounted, and pulled Miri to himself. With his hand resting gently on her hair, Obi-Wan pulled back slightly and looked at Miri's face.

"What happened?"

"He just... He wouldn't let up." Miri had no idea where to start. Obi-Wan had no knowledge of the exchange between Miri and Bastien. Miri feared he would grow angry with her for pushing too far into Bastien's mind. Determined not to lie, Miri took a deep breath, speaking in a hushed tone.

"At the stall. He knew about the engagement, and made his opinion of you clear. He kept pushing my buttons, I just lost control and... I read him. He has a darkness about him that I hadn't picked up on before. Something to do with some girls that he'd wanted to marry. I stopped before I went too far." Miri paused, and licked her lips. "But I mouthed off to him."

"Miri," Obi-Wan sounded gravely serious, but kept a level tone, wishing to still be vague if they should be overheard, even in the early hours. "I need you to tell me what you said. Is there any way that he… knows?" He let the word hang in the air, full of meaning. Though it was still dawn, he did not want to chance prying ears.

Miri set her jaw and thought a moment. "No, I just... I implied that I knew why those girls had rejected him. I could have learned this from any number of people in Mos Eisley."

Obi-Wan sighed, pressing his lips to the top of Miri's head. "So what do we hope to find out in Mos Espa?"

"One of the girls. She's still there. I have to know. I can't work beside someone for six weeks and not know what, or who, he is."

"I agree," Obi-Wan turned his gaze towards the hover bike, and mounted without another word. Miri followed, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Let us hope we find nothing," Obi-Wan said, before starting up the engine and leaving Mos Eisley.

* * *

Miri had been out of Mos Eisley maybe three or four times in her young adulthood. Each time, it had been to Tosche Station, but just once she had gone to Mos Espa to celebrate Boonta Eve. She hadn't made it as far as the podracing arena, but had been in the city with her mother. She was struck, then, that morning, when she entered the city with Obi-Wan, at how different from Mos Eisley it felt. Mos Eisley and Espa were both port cities, but to Miri, Mos Espa felt more cultured. More centered around recreation and enjoyment than Mos Eisley.

Her seedy little hometown was a den of iniquity. There were little to no glimpses of civility or culture. She expected Mos Espa to be just about the same, but to her, Mos Espa felt like potential. It felt like she wasn't on such a short leash after all. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to indulge in the fantasy that she and Obi-Wan were going to board a starship and go off to Alderaan or Naboo or somewhere else equally beautiful. And in that brief moment, Miri's cares melted away.

That brief moment ended the second Obi-Wan powered down his hoverbike, and dismounted, bringing Miri back to the task at hand by helping her down. Her feet hit the sand, and she sighed, taking in the bustling streets around them. Obi-Wan drew his own hood up before reaching behind Miri's neck and pulling hers up as well. With a small peck on the lips, he pulled his head back and gazed meaningfully into her eyes.

"Stay close to me. Keep your eyes open and your thoughts clear. I'll do the talking, but I want you listening with more than your ears. I need you to read people."

Miri smiled inwardly and nodded. Obi-Wan trusted her to pull her own weight in this search. More than that, she felt that he was acknowledging what had appeared to be her particular strength in the force.

"Now, where did you say we should start looking?"

"Jaki said that her husband was a mechanic. That's all I know."

Obi-Wan sighed, looking about him. "Well, a mechanic in a port city. That should narrow things down a bit." Obi-Wan gave Miri a sly look that told her that wouldn't deter him. This set her at ease.

So, the two set out in the city, and weaved in and out of throngs of people. Obi-Wan would stop at a stall, asking for a mechanic to repair a speeder. He asked who the best podracing mechanics were. He asked who was the best when it came to hyperdrive repair. Miri watched in awe as Obi-Wan spun words like silk, in such a casual way that no one would think twice about the man asking about power converters.

Just when Miri was beginning to think it was a dead end, someone on the far end of a line of stalls perked up.

"Sayed," the old woman said, hacking at an unidentifiable piece of nearly purple meat. Obi-Wan rounded on her, and approached cautiously.

"What's that?" Obi-Wan tested the waters.

" _Sayed_ ," the woman repeated, wiping her brow with the back of her hand, and set the hunks of meat aside. She wiped her hands on her apron. "You'll be wanting Dorall Sayed. He's the best with hyperdrives. Won't hear many say that, but he charges less and gets it done in half the time."

"What's the catch?" Obi-Wan painted his ruse. He was interested in fixing his hyperdrive, after all. He had to scrutinize.

"Can't be to particular 'bout where your parts come from, s'all." The woman smiled wryly, still not looking up too much to assess those to whom she was speaking.

"Where might we find this Dorall Sayed?" Obi-Wan was standing right in front of the woman's stall now, peering at her through hanging legs of whatever animal they used to be. She had deeply tanned and wrinkled skin, white braided hair that hung to her waist. But what unsettled Miri about this woman were her eyes. Though the woman appeared to be human, her eyes had a blaze green quality about them that was not altogether human. Miri thought she might have imagined it, but she thought the woman's pupils were vertical.

"About three blocks east of here. Sign says Rider's, but Dorall owns it. Let him know Freya sent you, he'll throw in an extra few diagnostic tests."

"Thank you, Freya," Obi-Wan nodded, and turned, Miri following at his side. Miri wanted to stay and look more at this peculiar woman, but knew better.

When they were well beyond earshot, Obi-Wan lowered his voice and spoke to Miri. "Did you sense it?"

Miri nodded her assent. "Yes, I did." She was speaking, of course, of Freya's force sensitivity. It was faint, to be sure, but it was there. She assumed that the butcher woman was part human, and part something else, which would account for her force sensitivity being so faint. In any case, Miri did not sense immediate danger from her, and they pressed on. She made a mental note to ask Obi-Wan about her at another time. Out in the open, in the bazaar of Mos Espa, didn't seem like the best place to do so.

Within a few moments, Obi-Wan had found what they were looking for. The sign, which appeared to almost be falling off its hinges, said Rider's, as promised. They paused before the entrance. Obi-Wan nodded to Miri. Between them passed an unspoken conversation, in which Miri knew to follow Obi-Wan's lead.

With nothing else to lose, the two of them entered. Inside, they found a large hangar-like building, with three beat-up looking starships resting side by side, hoses and wires connecting them to various power sources. Somewhere within they heard the grinding sounds of metal, clanging and a few bangs, as if someone were kicking metal.

"Hello?" Obi-Wan called out. "We're looking for a mechanic."

Another clang, and a moment later, a shaggy haired man poked his head up from inside a panel atop one of the ships. He had goggles on, making him look quite comical with his jet-black hair mussed and going out in many different directions. "Yeah?" He looked from Miri to Obi-Wan. He looked from Obi-Wan to Miri. It took a moment for things to click for him before he remembered that yes, he indeed was who they were looking for.

"Ah, yes, one of those, well, depends on what you need done." The man propped himself up on his elbows, waiting for a response.

"Well, to be honest, Mr. Sayed," Obi-Wan said. "We haven't got a hyperdrive that needs repairing. You see… My soon-to-be-wife, here. She's got some questions for your wife Yula." That got Dorall's attention. Miri reached out to gauge his feelings. What she found surprised her. What she found was curiosity. Understanding. Something that led Miri to believe he'd been expecting a visit like this.

Dorall climbed up from his panel, and slid down the wing of the ship, landing firmly on his feet. He pulled a rag out from his back pocket, and began cleaning his hands of engine grease.

"No pretense," he began. "I like that." He stood, assessing the two people before him. Instinctively, Miri and Obi-Wan both lowered their hoods as a sign of goodwill and trust. Dorall removed his goggles, revealing deep brown eyes, and hooked the goggles into his belt for safekeeping. He had a kind look about him, with deep olive colored skin. He sighed.

"So you want to talk to Yula," he nodded to himself, his hands on his hips. "Who should I say is asking for her?"

At this, Miri spoke up. "She doesn't know us. Not directly anyway. I'm Miriam Gorsa, and this is Ben Kenobi. My friend Jaki said we might be able to find Yula here."

"Mos Eisley, huh?" Dorall turned and walked away, calling out behind him, "be right back. Stay put!"

Miri and Obi-Wan stood in silence. Obi-Wan took the free moment to place his hand on the small of her back, and held her firmly. She was nervous, which Obi-Wan sensed. To ease her nervousness, he kissed her temple. "These are good people. I sense that they will be honest with us."

Miri nodded without a word, looking to the back room that Dorall had disappeared into. In a moment, he returned, alone. He waved them on. "Come on," he said, inviting them into the room. Obi-Wan followed Miri, and the two of them entered the back room.

Once inside, Miri's eyes had to adjust to the change in light. The light in the shop had been dim, artificial, but this room had many windows that were unshuttered, letting in the mid-morning Tatooine sunlight. It normally would have been harsh and oppressive with this much warmth, but Miri found that the room had a pleasant breeze.

A black haired girl rose from a set of couches, putting aside her sewing, revealing an ever-rounding pregnant belly. With curiosity, the girl with the same complexion as her husband approached Miri, and extended a hand in greeting.

"Miriam," the girl repeated, making sure she had heard correctly.

"Miri, yes," Miriam added. "Are you Yula?"

"I am," she said gently. She shook Obi-Wan's hand and greeted him as well. "My husband says you came from Mos Eisley looking for me."

"Yes," Miri said. "And from the look on your face, it doesn't seem like my being here is a surprise."

"No, you're not the first who's come looking for me. I think we all ought to sit," she said, indicating the many open spots.

Miri sat, and looked around at what appeared to be the Sayed home. It had most likely been an office of sorts when it was owned by Rider (whoever he was), but out of convenience, it had been converted (rather successfully, Miri thought) into a home.

"It's about Bastien," Miri said.

Yula nodded, allowing Miri to continue.

"I had heard… that there was some kind of _problem_ with him, and some of the women he had tried to court. You see, he works for my father now, and I work with him. I just wanted to know…"

"What kind of man he is," Yula nodded, placing her hands on her knees.

"Yes," Miri confirmed.

"He's not the best of men," Yula said. "When I wouldn't concede to his advances, he became persistent. He kept thinking that our friendship meant more. That I _owed_ him something." Yula shook her head, lost in the memory of it.

Beneath it all, Miri could sense what Yula wasn't saying.

"He never attacked me in _that way_ ," Yula said, still lost in thought. Quickly she snapped out of it. "But he may as well have. The rumors he spread… You would think that civility would extend this far out into the systems, but it doesn't. He started telling people that I was selling myself. That I had been carrying his child."

Dorall, who was standing behind his seated, pregnant wife, placed a hand on her shoulder to encourage her.

"The sick part is, Miri," Yula said, warning in her eyes, "I think he still expected me to consent to a marriage. If it weren't for Dorall, I don't know what it would have been like for me."

"Yula, I am so sorry," Miri said. Feeling sick to her stomach, Miri had to take a steadying breath. She couldn't believe someone so heartless and manipulative could have deceived her father into thinking he was a decent person.

"That is what I told the other girl. Still, from what I hear, she had to leave the planet, no doubt because of his manipulative actions."

Miri felt dread flood her mind. She knew in her heart that Bastien had nothing to hold over her. She was happily engaged to Obi-Wan, and he wasn't going anywhere. Still, a flicker of fear kindled within her.

"Thank you for being so honest," Obi-Wan said, breaking his silence. "What you experienced is terrible. I thank you for sharing that with us."

"Do you have any reason to believe that Bastien may try any of this with you?" Yula asked, concerned.

Miri shook her head. "I don't really know. I'm already engaged, I can't see how he'd exactly ruin my prospects. But there was something in his reaction to my engagement that unsettled me. I just wanted to… make sure."

Yula nodded. "I'm glad I could help. I'm only sorry that he's still up to his old tricks. I may have avoided him, but there are still girls out there who could be easily manipulated."

"We will keep a close eye on him," Obi-Wan chimed in, his tone serious. Miri sensed something in him that she had felt when he came for her in Jabba's palace. His outward demeanor was always pleasant and unassuming, but beneath his calm exterior, Miri knew that he harbored a very controlled storm, that could be unleashed at will. She knew that when it came to this man, Obi-Wan would take no chances.

Miri and Obi-Wan said their goodbyes, thanking the Sayeds for their hospitality. As they left, Miri felt the pit in her stomach grow. Without a word, Obi-Wan outstretched his hand, and grabbed Miri's, guiding her back towards the hover bike. Neither of them spoke before they reached the bike, but once they did, Obi-Wan grabbed Miri's arm gently, and turned her to him.

"Every part of me is screaming at me to just marry you now and get you out of there."

Miri's stomach flipped. She swallowed, and nodded insistently. "I know. But my father…"

"Never mind what your father says, Miriam." Obi-Wan gently placed his hand on the side of her face, and shook his own head. "I won't leave you alone with that man. Never mind the gossips. The only reason I agreed to the length of the engagement was out of respect for your father, but this, _you_ , take precedent."

Miri closed her eyes, and leaned against Obi-Wan's chest. She sighed in relief. The thought of being apart from Obi-Wan was hard to swallow. She worried only for what they would tell her father.

"Father is going to be so disappointed when he finds out that his apprentice is such a piece of..." Her jaw clenched. "What do we say?"

Obi-Wan stood there a moment, holding her, thinking. After a moment, he spoke. "You leave that to me, alright?" Miri stepped back, and looked up at Obi-Wan in relief. She stood on the tips of her toes, and lightly kissed his lips.

"Thank you," she stood back on her heels, and followed Obi-Wan onto the hover bike. On their way back towards Mos Eisley, the pit in Miri's stomach slowly melted away, and by the time Miri noticed that they were headed for Obi-Wan's hut instead of the city center of Mos Eisley, it was gone completely.

* * *

 **AN: I really didn't want to rush this chapter, so I worked on it several days. Never a dull moment, but I'm staying on top of things. Expect another update by this weekend.**

 **And Leb- Thank you so much. That has to be one of the best reviews I've ever received. I really appreciate what you said about the balance of what makes this story rated M. I have no qualms about an M-rated fic that goes _way_ on the end of the spectrum, but I like substantive stories more in the long run. I'm certainly flattered that you think _my_ story is substantive. I've achieved my goal!**


	28. Chapter 28

The wind was mild that morning. A breeze played through the hanging sheets, still damp after Miri had rung them out. The line that was now full of damp sheets prevented Miri from noticing that Obi-Wan had been watching her for some time. He smiled as he watched as his wife hummed to herself, straightening the linens so that they would dry properly and quickly. In that moment, Obi-Wan's heart swelled with joy, for he had no idea that he could have ever found this much happiness, after so much darkness had followed him through his young adult life.

"You know it's not polite to snoop," Miri said, peeking from behind a damp sheet, which whipped lightly back and forth in the breeze.

She ducked to avoid the last clothes line, and walked to her husband, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing the exposed portion of his chest that peeked out from the ties in his shirt.

"And you certainly could have lent a hand," she added, swatting Obi-Wan's side as she went back into the hut. He followed her.

"What can I say?" Obi-Wan asked, hurriedly catching up with Miri, and grabbing her hips from behind, pulling her into an embrace. He spoke into her hair, just behind her ear. "You have me quite enthralled."

Miri's heart fluttered. Life had been like this for three weeks, since their very quiet marriage ceremony. Endlessly happy, and sheltered from the outside influences of Mos Eisley, Obi-Wan and Miri were prospering in their first days of marriage.

To Miri, it seemed like the last three weeks had sped by. So much had happened so quickly that occasionally she had to take stock of what had actually taken place.

* * *

In the minutes following Miri and Obi-Wan's meeting with Yula and Dorall Sayed, Obi-Wan had confessed to Miri that he could not wait any longer to marry her. Knowing the mean and ugly side of the man working for Miri's father, Obi-Wan became intensely protective, and had altogether refused to allow Miri to even go back to the grocery stall that day. With her heart feeling a hundred pounds lighter, Miri had gotten down from Obi-Wan's hover bike once he pulled up to his hut, and walked inside as if the place were already her own.

Without a word, Miri had set to pouring water in the tea kettle, and set it on the stove. Obi-Wan took off his cloak and hung it near the entryway, beside the plasteel door. He ran his hand through his shaggy hair, thinking to himself that he would have to have Miri cut it for him soon. He hoped offhandedly that she had steady hands before running his hand over his beard in thought, bringing himself back to the issue of the moment.

He sat in the large lounge chair, not bothering to take his boots off yet. He knew he would be leaving soon. Noticing Obi-Wan deep in thought, without a word, Miri began to open cabinets and pull out bread and a wheel of cheese for a midday meal that they would share. She was anxious to hear what Obi-Wan's plan was. She had hoped they were thinking the same thing. But, knowing her teacher, her lover, she gave him his peace and would wait for him to speak.

And speak he did, about five minutes after Miri had poured their tea.

"I'm going to Mos Eisley, and you'll be coming with me." Miri's eyes filled with concern. Eager to ease her fear, Obi-Wan kept speaking. "You will begin packing your things, and I will go speak with your father. Wait for me there."

"When will we be going?" Miri asked, breaking apart a piece of cheese, leaning against the small table, aware that she could be sitting in either of the small wooden chairs, but too anxious to do so.

"We shall go just before your father closes the stall for the day. I do not want to have this conversation while Bastien is around."

Miri nodded in agreement, and ate thoughtfully. She crossed her arms, and sighed.

"What's on your mind?"

Miri smirked. She couldn't get anything past Obi-Wan. "I just... Don't want to disappoint him."

"How would you be doing that?" Obi-Wan asked, setting his tea gently on his lap, and resting his arms casually on both arms of the chair.

"By getting married, leaving him..." She trailed off, picking at a nonexistent hangnail.

"How many girls your age are still living with their parents, single? Here on Tatooine?" Obi-Wan asked, leading her.

"None that I'm aware of," Miri admitted reluctantly. "But I can't help feeling... he'll be all alone."

"Only sometimes, Miri," Obi-Wan said. "We're not leaving the planet. I've been thinking about this, about what this marriage will look like."

"And what have you thought?"

Obi-Wan stood, setting his tea on the table behind Miri. He took her in his arms comfortingly. "You and me, here. I train you, teach you everything I know. We can get the moisture farming equipment up and running. Watch over Luke. We have to get supplies somehow; we'll go into Mos Eisley every week. And there's no reason you can't go out there more often, just to see him."

"That sounds reasonable," Miri said.

"I believe it is." Obi-Wan grabbed the braid that was slung over Miri's shoulder, and ran it through his fingers. "I will explain just enough to your father that he understands that you can't stay. But there's no question. Even if this Bastien isn't a part of the picture, you're not safe in Mos Eisley without me. You're not trained enough, you could be seen-"

"I know, Obi-Wan." Miri said, gently. She knew in her heart that it was time for her to move on. It still didn't make it any less painful for her. She had only a few hours to come to terms with it before they would speak with her father. And though Obi-Wan held her, he could tell that Miri was miles away, distracted by her thoughts.

"You must quiet your thoughts," Obi-Wan said, feeling himself sink back into his teacher's role. He ran a finger down her jawline affectionately. "We will meditate on this."

"Yes, Master Obi-Wan," Miri said through a sigh and a smile, her eyes slightly twinkling despite herself.

* * *

"And you're sure? You're sure these women are talking about the right man?" Lee Gorsa spun the glass of table wine in front of him, peering at his daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law from across the small table.

"Yes, I'm afraid that Yula was quite honest about her experience," Obi-Wan said. "She had not the slightest indication that she was being deceptive."

Lee scratched tiredly at his white hair, light and airy as virgin silk strands. "I can't believe I didn't know." Lee's tone was reproachful. "How could I not have known?"

"There's no need to beat yourself up over it, Lee," Obi-Wan said. "He took great pains to hide it, as did the girls' families."

"What will you do about him, father?" Miri asked, breaking her silence.

Lee regarded his daughter. He wanted to fire the young man right then and there. He just didn't know if that was the right course of action. "What _can_ I do? I can't possibly do anything that would anger him, and make him lash out at Miri."

Obi-Wan's lips pressed together briefly as he nodded. "I agree. He cannot be let to think that he's being fired. This needs to be natural, if you are indeed going to dismiss him."

"I'll end the apprenticeship." Lee said. "I don't know what I was thinking with an apprentice in the first place. I'm not as old as I like to think. I can still run the stall. Even if he decides to set up his own stall, there have been other grocers in Mos Eisley before. It would alleviate some of the pressure from me, that's for sure."

"Then maybe this is your perfect out," Obi-Wan said. "Let him know that you're not yet ready to retire, but you still want to teach him the ropes. Help lighten the load for you until you _do_ retire."

They all sat, mulling over the idea. Each drank from their glass of wine, seemingly content with the course of action that Obi-Wan had thought up.

"I will do it," he said. "But not until a week or so after your marriage, to avoid any suspicion. He sounds like he can be very sensitive about your status."

And it was agreed. Within the next hour, with the second sun nearly down, Miri packed up the last of her clothing that would help her make it a while at Obi-Wan's hut. She would be coming back intermittently for any of her other belongings, her books most importantly. But her father had agreed that she needed to be with Obi-Wan from now on. Miri had been shocked at how pragmatic he had been about the whole thing. He had even offered to ask the old priest in the neighborhood who would perform a no-frills ceremony, and would not make a big fuss with other people about their personal affairs.

Miri had stood in her bedroom, looking for something to wear the next day when she and Obi-Wan met with the priest. Everything she owned had been perfectly practical for Tatooine. No frills, nothing elaborate. Functional. In essence, nothing that she could see herself getting married in. Panic sunk in as she realized that this would have been the perfect time to have her mother around. She would have known exactly what to do. Just as the sting of tears had threatened, she heard a gentle knock at her door.

Turning, she saw her father. With his hands behind his back, he looked at his daughter with concern. "Is everything alright?"

Miri blinked back her tears and swallowed. She shook her head. "Yes, I'm fine, I just was thinking... I was thinking that I wished mom were here."

Lee sighed, and nodded. "I know. I am sure she would have made a production out of the affair, even if it was supposed to be low-key."

"Well," Miri said, unsure what else she could say. She looked about the room, trying to decide if there was anything else she couldn't live without for the next week.

While she was distracted, Lee advanced, and pulled his hands from behind his back, presenting Miri with what looked like folded fabric. It had a lacy quality about it, and was a light cream color. Miri looked at her father sharply. She knew exactly what it was, but hadn't remembered it.

"It was hers. She wore it for our wedding," he said, remembering fondly. "We were dirt poor. Dirt poor and deeply in love. She looked like a queen in it. It's yours to wear if you would like. I know you'll look just as beautiful."

Miri swallowed, unable to stop a tear from falling. She wiped it away quickly. "Thank you. Yes, it will be perfect."

At that, Miri was packed, and sped off into the Dune Sea to spend one last night with Obi-Wan before they were married.

* * *

There are times in your life when time seems to both speed up and slow down. You think, when you are saying your vows, you couldn't possibly forget them. You couldn't possibly forget every look, every touch, every sensation. And in a way, you don't. But when you look back, you know just how quickly it all went. It doesn't diminish its importance, or diminish how much it changes you. In a strange way it serves to make it just that much more special.

That's exactly how Miriam Gorsa felt, as she held both of Obi-Wan Kenobi's hands, and recited her vows (... _I love you more than I thought it possible to love another person. When you entered my life, I knew you would change it forever, and I was right..._ ) Miri knew she would forever remember how handsome Obi-Wan looked in his Jedi robes, with his hair and beard trimmed, eyes full of hope. She might not remember every word, but she would remember the way he looked at her. Just as Miri knew this, Obi-Wan knew that the image of Miri in her cream, antique lace dress would be seared into his mind until his dying breath. The heartache he had known before was, for that time, gone completely from his mind. No more Anakin, no more Qui-Gon, no more Mace Windu, or even Padme. As he said his vows (... _I wasn't half of what I am now when you first met me. I was hollow. You've filled the empty spaces in my heart._..) What replaced it for that day was how happy he had become.

The two of them knew how unorthodox the whole affair had been. It still did not take away from how much they would cherish the event. The only witness to the ceremony was Lee. What had made the ceremony even more special was that the priest had used Obi-Wan's real name. He, of course, would have his memory altered by Obi-Wan later on, as being old and nearing senile, it would be easy to alter the memory. Not that Obi-Wan felt it was necessary, but for the sake of Luke, Miri and himself, he took no risks.

Having done the most unexpected thing in his life, Obi-Wan drove his bride back to the Dune Sea, sure that in this moment, a single person in all the universe could not have been as happy as he was. Obi-Wan was right. It was surprising then that, given how much love two people could possibly have for one another, that there was someone else on Tatooine whose heart burned with hatred and anger at their shared happiness.

* * *

 **AN: Ok! I know I have been the absolute worst writer and updater. First, I'm sorry to have made you wait. But, as other readers have noted, sometimes real life has to be more important. Not to make excuses for myself, but I did move cross country one week, find a new house in the same week, and this week have been struggling to get my own house sold/closed on. Lots of boring grown up stuff. Can I please give back my adult membership? Can I at least demote myself to college student again? No?**

 **There's nothing I would have liked more for the past few weeks to have been spent writing, and not packing, going on long flights and trying to be a fully fledged grown up.**

 **In any case, I am still not finished with this story. I know it's a slice of lemon pie, but we all like lemons now and then right? But I want you to know that this is not the "the end" of this story. I had hoped it would be super clear that the story hasn't been tied up yet, but some people get to the wedding and go "well, nothing more to see here!"**

 **There are a few more plot developments to work out, but I feel like we could be done somewhere in the 30s, when it comes to chapters. So, now that life is starting to level out and calm down, I hope you'll enjoy the next few things I have planned. Hope you all are well.**


	29. Chapter 29

Miri had no idea why she had suddenly become nervous on her way back to Obi-Wan's, and now her own, hut on the outskirts of the Dune Sea. She held onto his tunic, and ran her hands lovingly along his waist for support. Her heart pounded when she thought that everything she did was now her own choice. She no longer had to question how it would look, or what her father, or anyone else would think. Only Obi-Wan, and she knew he could never judge her.

They reached their hut, and without a word, Obi-Wan powered down his hover bike and helped Miri down. She could sense how serious he was at the moment, and upon probing his feelings further, she discovered their origin. It made her stomach tie in knots as Obi-Wan took her by the hand and led her with distinct purpose into the inside of the hut.

Once they were indoors, and the door was sealed behind them, Obi-Wan drew Miri into his arms with urgency. Placing his hands in her hair, he angled her face towards his, and kissed her deeply, his freshly trimmed beard tickling her chin. Caught off her guard, Miri was at Obi-Wan's mercy, and returned his kiss lovingly. When he broke their kiss, Obi-Wan looked into Miri's eyes.

"You've made me the happiest man in the galaxy." His blue eyes softened when he gazed into hers. She touched his beard gently with her fingers, smoothing it down.

Miri shifted against Obi-Wan, feeling his hardness under his tunic and pants. She smiled huskily. "It's not the only thing I've made you," she said, her words purred into his ear as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, continuing to press against him.

"You're right," he said, dryly. "It's not."

With another breath, Miri pulled away from Obi-Wan, giving them some space. She studied him for a moment, and then smiled as she began to undo his belt, making sure to place his lightsaber safely on the table before returning to her work. With his belt off, Miri had ready access to his tunic, which she tugged and pulled over Obi-Wan's head. She placed a few light kisses on his exposed chest, and hooked her fingers into the waistband of his pants. Taking the cue, Obi-Wan divested himself of the rest of his clothing, and stood before his wife adoringly.

He slowly reached for the shoulders of her dress, and before he had a chance to touch the garment, Miri stopped his hands. She walked him back towards his bed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She shook her head, and directed Obi-Wan to sit. With a smile and a breathy chuckle, Obi-Wan complied and watched as Miri backed up a few paces.

With enough room between the two of them, Miri would then be able to undress so that he could see all of her. Undoing the top few buttons in the back of her dress, Miri was able to pull it off her shoulders, where it pooled at her feet.

Obi-Wan's heart ached at the sight of his beautiful, young wife. She stepped out of her dress, and came within a foot of Obi-Wan. She reached out and ran one hand through his hair. He closed his eyes in contentment. He opened them after a moment, and gazed at her. She was smiling, doting on him.

"I almost can't look at you for too long," he ventured.

Miri's eyes narrowed in confusion. She smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in the galaxy, I mean."

Miri's stomach flipped again. "I should think that a Jedi Master such as yourself has seen quite a few wonders. I hardly believe you are completely serious. Though I know you want to b—"

Miri did not get a chance to finish her sentence before Obi-Wan reached a hand out and pulled her atop him so she straddled his lap. With her lips a breath from his, he whispered to her. "And a Jedi Master would not lie." With that, he placed his hands gently in her hair at the top of her neck, and gripped it lightly. Eagerly, Miri answered the gesture by kissing him, and steadied herself by holding onto his shoulders for support.

Breaking their kiss, Miri watched Obi-Wan's eyes as she lowered herself gingerly onto him. Obi-Wan's eyes closed in silent pleasure as he felt all of himself inside her. Miri smiled to herself as she watched what power she had over him. After a moment of adjustment, Miri began to move her hips. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, using them for support. Obi-Wan grabbed her hips, guiding her the way he wanted her.

Before their senses overtook them, Miri kissed Obi-Wan's neck, and whimpered into his ear. "I love you."

* * *

"You must allow the force to flow through you, Miri. You must never hesitate."

"I'm trying, Obi-Wan," Miri said, frustrated at the speed, or lack thereof, that she was progressing in her lightsaber training. Moving objects through the force seemed to be completely easy for her, but Miri struggled with combat skills. Having spent the majority of her adolescence behind books, she was never as fit as she should have been.

"One of my former Masters would tell me, 'Do or do not, there is no try,'" Obi-Wan said, bringing his blue lightsaber blade back up at the defense position.

"But what if I hurt you?" Miri said, lowering her violet blade to her side. The Tatooine suns beat down on her exposed shoulders, causing beads of sweat to trickle down her back and pool at the base of her spine.

"You're not going to hurt me, Miri," Obi-Wan assured her. "I have years of experience and practice, I promise you won't hurt me."

"See, that's what I'm talking about, what's the point? I'm too far behind, I can't learn this."

Obi-Wan heaved a sigh, and powered down his blade before he closed the gap between him and his wife. "Darling, you can't help that. I only meant that if you're afraid of hurting me, I can defend myself. But this is not about whether or not I can defend myself. This is about you. You doubt yourself too much. You must let go of your fear. And I've told you what fear can do to a Jedi," he added, his words weighted in meaning.

Miri huffed, and paused a moment. "Alright." She raised her blade once more, and took a few paces back from Obi-Wan. Pleased at her perseverance, Obi-Wan powered his lightsaber back up, and readied for Miri's attack.

And this was how their days went. They would start the day with making necessary repairs to the moisture farm equipment, making sure that their harvest was on schedule. Then, after this was done, they would train in the craggy hills behind his hut, where they might avoid any observation from unannounced guests.

And in the evenings, they would make dinner together, and make love. It was difficult for Obi-Wan to keep himself from pulling her into bed while they were working. But his patience was always rewarded in the evening, after which they would fall asleep in each other's arms and repeat the whole process the next day.

It was the most happy Obi-Wan had ever felt in his life. His sorrows had been many, his losses too great to count. But Miri made all of that pain shrink away until it was merely a shadow of what it once was.

Miri and Obi-Wan primarily stayed out of Mos Eisley, but occasionally they would have to return to town for supplies. This always made Miri's father happy. It seemed that everyone was happy with how things were turning out. Everyone, save for Bastien.

Bastien had not taken his layoff well. He accepted his termination well enough from Lee to his face, but on his own, Bastien's hate for the Gorsa family was cemented. He had agreed to an apprenticeship thinking that he would get full control of a business and a wife out of the whole deal.

Now, he felt yet again cheated out of what he felt he was owed. And he was determined to get what he wanted.

The business that Lee Gorsa lost was not great. Bastien had set up shop far enough away from Lee's stand that the loss was barely felt.

Bastien had chosen his location very strategically. He had taken an empty stall by the bookshop that Miri had so often frequented before she married Ben Kenobi. And it was this habit that Bastien had hoped she would resume. Bastien was soon not disappointed.

* * *

Four weeks had passed since Miri and Obi-Wan had married, and still she felt like she was walking on air. It was on one particular morning that Miri would be shaken from her dreamy state.

It had been far too long since she had been to her favorite shop in Mos Eisley. Months. Ready for a new tome, having read the Twileki poetry book twice over, Miri was in search of new reading. She had no idea that there were a pair of eyes watching her as she entered the book shop, intent on finding her new reading.

As she scanned the shelves, she thought of what a naïve girl she had been when she dragged Obi-Wan here those months ago. She had been so forward. But she would have done it all over again, just the same way, if she knew it would lead her to such a happy life.

Bastien had slipped into the bookshop without so much as an upward glance from the bookshop owner, who had his aging eyes trained on a thick Corellian volume. He stood two paces behind Miri when he spoke.

"Congratulations on your marriage. Curiously short engagement," he said coldly.

Miri whirled around in surprise, clutching her new book. When she registered who it was, her eyes narrowed in disgust. Still, she forced herself to soften her demeanor. She sighed, and thanked him.

"Thank you. How is your new business?" she asked, reluctantly.

His face displayed a smugness that Miri had grown to loathe. "Fine, very fine. I had the best mentor a man could dream of." His green eyes burned with a fire that sent Miri's senses off. Still, she was determined to walk out of the bookshop without any trouble. She approached the front counter, and placed her money in front of the shop keeper, and turned to Bastien without worrying about her change.

"I wish you all the best. Have a nice day." She forced herself to say the words, though there was not much conviction behind them. With a nod, she spun on her heels and walked out the door.

Still, he trailed her like a wild vornskr stalking its prey. Miri turned and looked Bastien in the eye. "Good day, Bastien." She kept walking, out of the thoroughfare where Bastien's stall and the bookshop were. She was only a few blocks from her father's stall, where Obi-Wan and Lee would be waiting for her.

She wouldn't make it that far before Bastien had her cornered.

"I think you and I need to have a few words, don't you, Miri?"

She turned, and tried to put on an air of passivity. "What might we have to talk about, Bastien?"

He stepped a few paces closer to her, towering over her. She backed away, but soon ran out of alley before she was backed into a corner. Her fear and anger were growing too loud for her liking.

"Oh, just a few words we might have exchanged about a month back," he added, casually.

"Oh, you mean about the girls? The girls you tried to blackmail into a marriage with you? It's Mos Eisley, Bastien, things like that don't stay buried for long."

"That wasn't all," he hinted. "No, you _knew_ things."

"I'm an intuitive woman," she said, deciding it was time to leave the alley behind. Before she got two steps, a strong pair of hands grabbed each of her upper arms, and spun her around, backing her against one of the synstone walls. Instantly, Miri's mind flickered to Abraxas, the Zabrak henchman of Jabba the Hutt, and his repeated abuse of her. Her heartbeat quickened, but determined to defend herself, Miri breathed deliberately to calm herself.

She knew exactly his intent. She could see it in his mind, feel the evil like fungus growing up a wall. It sickened her. He wanted one thing, and if she were any other person, he might have succeeded. But instead, Miri lifted her hand and shoved Bastien backwards using the Force. She could see the shock in his eyes. She knew he didn't feel her hands on him. So, in a final effort to distract him, Miri closed a fist and punched him as hard as she could across the cheek.

"If you _ever_ touch me like that again, I swear you will never be physically capable of attacking another woman in your lifetime." Not waiting for a response, Miri turned and ran for her father's stall.

Obi-Wan had immediately gone looking for Bastien but could not find him. It was growing dark, and Obi-Wan did not want them caught driving out to the Dune Sea in the black of night. Still, Obi-Wan hoped deep down that Bastien would not continue to be a problem for them. His feelings told him that before too long, something would have to be done about him, otherwise Luke and Miri's safety would be at risk.

* * *

The welt had started to form on his cheek as he drank his fifth glass of Vaschean rye, deep in the belly of Mos Eisley cantina. He held the glass to his face with futility, hoping that the swelling and bruising might not be so bad, but he would be mistaken.

He would have gone home to lick his wounds if it weren't for one group of miscreants who slithered into the cantina, laughing raucously. His mind, though dulled by the alcohol, surely put the pieces together, and he remembered who they were.

Jabba the Hutt's men. The Zabrak, the humans, and even the Twilek. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Bastien scraped his stool back as he stood. As the men sat, Bastien reached their table. They took a moment to size him up, their hands resting on their blasters.

"Speak or be on your way," Abraxas warned.

Bastien's mouth curled in a sick half smile. "I'd like to talk to you about a mutual friend."

* * *

 **AN: And I'm back! The school year is almost over, and my teaching duties with it. Since instruction is now essentially preparation for finals, I have had quite a bit of time to write, so I hope you like what I have planned soon. Hope you all have been doing well. Thanks again for reviews, comments, follows and favorites!**


	30. Chapter 30

"And you're sure of this? Of what she can do?" The Twilek's red eyes squinted skeptically.

"Yes," Bastien hissed, flexing his jaw, feeling the pain in his cheek as he did so. "Your man Abraxas's testimony should only seal the deal."

"Alright," Abraxas allowed, twirling his glass thoughtfully. "So how does knowing about someone who can use the Force help us?"

Bastien sighed. He was going to have to do more than lead them to water to make them drink. "Your employer, Jabba the Hutt. I know he's no friend to the Empire… but I would think he could get a hefty ransom out of turning a Force sensitive over to the Emperor."

"It's an awfully big risk for him. For us to even bring her there. Never mind bringing them _here_. And she's been holding back each time." Abraxas bristled at the memory of her fighting back. He'd rarely encountered a woman who he couldn't have. Turning her over to the Emperor would not only be satisfying, but he figured he might be able to toy with her even more before she goes.

"That's why you don't underestimate her. And you catch her alone."

"Alone?"

"She married that Ben Kenobi, the hermit. Lives out in the Dune Sea with him. They come in to town every now and then, but by the looks of him, he's not going to let his wife go without a fight."

Abraxas scratched at his chin. He looked at his partners. They all exchanged unsure glances.

"We'll take it to Jabba," Abraxas concluded for the rest of them. "He will decide if he wants to bring the Empire into his affairs."

Jabba's cronies all threw back the rest of their drinks, and stood unceremoniously, making to leave. Bastien stood abruptly with them. A fire lit momentarily in Abraxas's eyes as he registered the man's actions.

"If Jabba won't do it, I will," Bastien stated, not sure if he was threatening possibly some of the most dangerous people in Mos Eisley.

"You'll do nothing until Jabba says," Abraxas's voice was full of a malice Bastien had not expected. Without another word, he threw the money down on the table and walked out of the bar, leaving Bastien alone. For just one moment, Bastien felt he might have made a mistake, but when he thought of Ben Kenobi's hands on Miri instead of his own, he shook the thought from his head, resolute in his desire to make Miriam Kenobi pay for his humiliation.

* * *

Forty minutes into her morning meditation next to her husband, Miri found her mind growing restless. Having been in the same seated position outside for more than a half hour, Miri's lower back began to ache. With how much Obi-Wan was working her out with training, on top of the work they were doing for the moisture farm, Miri was sapped of any extra energy she usually had.

The barely audible sigh she gave was enough to make Obi-Wan's eyes open. He sat across from her, and felt the break in her concentration. Miri peeked at Obi-Wan and found that he was already looking at her admonishingly. Behind his mentor-husband's scowl, Miri could feel the love and warmth.

She let out the rest of her breath and rolled her eyes. "Oh, give it a rest," she said, pushing on Obi-Wan's chest lightly, pivoting slightly and hopping off the ledge. When she landed, she had to steady herself by putting her hand on the wall. The pain in her back surged and spread slightly.

"I would tell you to let go your thoughts…" Obi-Wan began.

Miri finished for him, "… but you've told me that a hundred times before."

Obi-Wan placed his hands on his knees, and straightened his back a moment before hopping down beside his wife. He grumbled slightly and looked down at the girl whose hair was still a bit messy from sleep. He loved her this way. He couldn't stay frustrated with her long, but leaned down and put his shoulder into her stomach and scooped her off the ground as he stood and walked back into the hut.

She squeaked in false protest as he trudged down the steps. "What shall I do with you, young padawan?"

This drew a small laugh from Miri as he set her down gingerly. She swayed a bit on her feet, but held her smile. Obi-Wan paused a moment and looked at her.

"Feeling alright?" he placed his hand on her cheek with care, checking her temperature subtly.

She pulled his hand down, hoping to shrug him off. "Yes, I'm just exhausted. Training, the farm… I'm not bouncing back today is all. I suppose I didn't sleep well enough."

Obi-Wan hated to push her when she looked so piqued. Now that he had her close, and indoors, she did look a bit too drawn for his liking.

"Well," he said breathily, "no sparring today, okay?"

Miri paused, thinking she might protest, but found that she didn't have the strength to put up a front. "Thank you," she said at length. Turning to their tea, Miri poured them both a cup and sat gratefully in Obi-Wan's lounging chair.

He left his tea on the table, and approached the chair from behind. Brushing the plait of hair from Miri's shoulder, he exposed her neck and kissed the sensitive skin there so lightly Miri thought she had imagined it.

"Rest a while today. I'm going to tend to the equipment, but otherwise you should just sit and read."

"Obi-Wan, I'm not _completely_ infirmed," Miri protested.

"No," he said, rounding on the chair, and kneeling in front of her. "But if I ran you into a state of exhaustion, I wouldn't be a very good husband, would I?" He brushed her cheek with a finger, pausing momentarily at her chin. "Practice those healing techniques we worked on," he added with positivity that Miri could feel through their Force bond. "Rest up, meditate, and you'll be fine in no time."

"Yes, sir," Miri added smartly, bobbling her head from side to side with a smile. He chuckled at her and kissed her hair.

After finishing his tea, Obi-Wan left Miri to her assignment.

With Obi-Wan gone, Miri was able to let out the breath she had subconsciously been holding in. She grimaced in pain, and she clutched her arm to her abdomen a moment. When the cramp had passed, Miri brought a shaking hand up to her forehead and brushed away a stray piece of hair. Her monthly cycle was usually nothing more than a slight inconvenience. In her memory, the pain had not been this way since she was younger.

Chalking it up to stress and overwork, Miri focused all her energy on the healing techniques Obi-Wan had taught her. She had used them already to heal a few bruises sustained in training, with surprising success.

After twenty minutes of meditation, Miri stopped and assessed its efficacy. Nothing. The slight pain in her abdomen remained. Her lightheadedness remained. And something else began to pull at her, more and more urgently. She wasn't sure she would make it to the washbasin in time, but when she fell to her knees in front of it, she was thankful that she had been as quick as she was. After vomiting up everything she had consumed that morning, Miri shakily grabbed the towel next to the basin and cleaned herself up.

The growing realization began to sink in as Miri knew in her heart that what was ailing her was nothing the Force could heal. In fact, she knew there was nothing _to_ heal. Her mind felt both blank and full at the same time as she felt the emotions that came with the realization. Happiness. A bit of fear and trepidation.

Before she had long to think on it, Obi-Wan came running through the front of the hut and saw her sitting on the floor of the washroom. He had felt her fear in the middle of a generator repair, dropping his tools and running to find her. He hadn't expected to find her there. Not like this.

Before he could ask what was the matter, Obi-Wan looked at the state of his wife. She managed to crack a half smile through her shaky exterior. They exchanged a knowing feeling through the Force.

"No sparring indeed," Obi-Wan said with a wry smile, joining her on the floor, drawing her to him. "Are you sure?"

Miri shrugged, pulling back to look into his eyes that seemed to be filled with light. "As sure as I can be with my limited knowledge," Miri replied with as much energy as she could muster. "See, I _knew_ I'd find a way to get out of sparring with the best lightsaber duelist in the galaxy."

They shared a laugh and held each other as they allowed the flood of emotions in. They both feared bringing a child into the world. Both for different reasons. But despite the fear, neither of them could think of their lives going any other way.

* * *

Jabba had stared at his henchmen for what seemed like an hour. The decision to turn over a Force sensitive person to the Empire was not an easy one. But it could be quite fortuitous for them. Still, it had to be done the right way. He would have the girl brought to the Empire, that much was sure.

" _The Empire's eye must not fall on Tatooine_ ," Jabba said sternly to his men.

They nodded in understanding. A flicker of joy flashed across the Zabrak henchman's face.

" _Make it happen_ ," Jabba said, his voice echoing across the halls of his palace.

* * *

 **AN: Well, I made it to my new home, and we are all moved in. We've got a new 3 month old puppy who takes up a lot of my time, and we're still waiting for an internet installation to our house, but I've found a little cafe where I can come to publish my chapters now. Now that life is seeming to settle, I am turning my efforts towards writing again. Thanks for sticking with the story. End in sight! I promise. Hope your summers are going well.**


	31. Chapter 31

The ground on Tatooine was not forgiving. It was course, rough. For all Miriam Kenobi cared, she could be walking on the clouds of Bespin that she had heard so much about. Despite the initial gut reaction she and Obi-Wan had to her pregnancy, they began to settle into a quiet excitement over the prospect of having a child. This change in attitude greatly comforted Miri, and on this particular morning, she smiled as she made her way through the thoroughfare of Mos Eisley, collecting monthly supplies in a basket.

Lee Gorsa brimmed with happiness as he saw his daughter approaching. It had been a week since Obi-Wan and Miri had told him their wonderful news. He had surprised them by his overwhelming excitement and enthusiasm at the thought of being a grandfather. Before Miri reached his stall, he rounded the table and pulled his daughter to him in an embrace.

"Father," Miri chided, her voice muffled in her father's robes.

"Better get used to it, dear," he said, pulling back, and rounding the table again to grab the supplies meant for them. "I've got more to give to that baby, so just you wait."

Miri smiled and shook her head. She knew that after her mother passed, there was a hole in her father's heart. She just had no idea that a grandchild would seem to be the missing piece.

"I'm not even showing yet, and already he's being smothered with attention," she said, grabbing the sacks her father handed over. "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"Damn right, too," Lee said. "You know it's a boy?" he asked quietly.

Miri smiled, but quickly straightened her face. With a nod, she confirmed to her father that her Force sensitivity allowed her as much.

"Does he know?"

After a moment, Miri shook her head. "I was hoping to make it a surprise."

Lee opened in his mouth and nodded knowingly. Mum's the word. With a wink he plopped a Naboo valley plum into her basket. "For the road, hey?"

Holding it to her nose and smelling that it was perfectly ripe, Miri hummed her approval, and kissed her father on the cheek. "Thank you," she added. After a pause, Miri looked about. "Have you seen Ben?" _Ben_. Always Ben in town.

"Off to the cantina I believe," he said. Miri scrunched her eyes in confusion.

"Jakki said she had something for the baby."

"Ah," Miri turned, and waving to her father, made her way to the cantina. "See you soon."

* * *

Obi-Wan sat at the booth with the blue-skinned Twi'lek. In his hands he held an ivory statue of a Tauntaun, clearly hand carved. His eyes were wide as he turned the figure over, inspecting its intricate details.

"Boy or girl, I thought it would be fine either way," Jakki added demurely. Running her fingers over her bottom lip, she waited for Obi-Wan's reaction to her handiwork.

"Jakki, this… is lovely," he said, full of awe. "And you say you carved this yourself?"

"Yes," Jakki said, quietly. "Just something I picked up when I was younger. Never had much use for it."

"This… this kind of work goes for quite a few credits in the Core planets," Obi-Wan allowed. "This is something. This is a talent you shouldn't ignore."

Jakki shook her head. "What, you think many on Tatooine have much use for such trinkets?"

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. "You have a point." He secured it in its drawstring pouch, and put it in an interior pocket. "Still, I thank you all the same. Miri will love it."

"And where is she exactly?"

"Her father's stall. She said she wanted to pick up a book afterwards. I can bring her by if you'd li—"

"No, no, I need to be getting back to work anyway," she said. "Afternoon crowds are due soon." She grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and squeezed lightly. "You take care, Ben."

"And you," Obi-Wan replied, getting up and making his way for the light of day, a welcome change to the perpetually dim interior of the cantina.

After he let his eyes adjust to the light of the suns, a sudden surge in the Force struck Obi-Wan like lightning, heightening his senses. Where was it coming from? Quickly, Obi-Wan turned his head to look down the alley behind the cantina, feeling Miri's fear. Without a thought, Obi-Wan took off at a break-neck speed in the direction he felt her.

* * *

With her attention on the plum she was happily enjoying, Miri didn't quite hear the footsteps in time. And why should she have her senses on high alert? It was a busy market day, and the streets were filled with people.

Still, one set of footsteps added to the next, and the next. For nearly two blocks, Miri did not feel the eyes on her as they stalked her like prey. When she turned the corner, making for the cantina to meet Jakki and Obi-Wan, suddenly she felt it. It was wrong. It was foul. A foulness she'd felt before.

Not forgetting her training, Miri counted the steps behind her. There were four of them. It would be a tough fight, but she could deal with those odds—especially with her mother's lightsaber on her belt. Still, she kept walking as if nothing was wrong, and in two heartbeats, dropped her basket, and the fruit, with her lightsaber rushing through the air to meet her hands, where its violet blade illuminated.

Turning, she confirmed the sinking feeling she had. It was the same men who had attacked her so many months ago in the very same alley. And the very same loathsome Zabrak, Abraxas, headed up the group. But this time, she was better prepared. She was a different person. They had no idea who they were dealing with.

Only, to Miri's great misfortune, they did. With their blaster's set to stun, each of them in turn began to fire. Easily Miri deflected their blasts, setting her stance wide. They each spread out, starting to surround her. With a man on each side of her, the blasts became far too difficult for her to deflect, the novice that she was. Finally, with a stun blast to her lower back, Miri fell to her knees with a cry, her lightsaber clattering away. With her hands on the sandy ground, Miri's fear surged, knowing she was incapacitated. One of them retrieved the weapon from the ground, securing it on his own belt.

Struggling to come to her feet, Miri fell each time. The ground was indeed unforgiving on this planet. This drew the laughter of each of them. With contempt, Miri watched as Abraxas sat on his heels in front of her. With her remaining strength, Miri sent her feelings out through the Force, hoping Obi-Wan would sense her.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," he said, pulling something out of his robes. Quickly it was pressed to Miri's neck. A quick burst of fire, a shock to her system to daze her further. "People will talk."

Miri, under a haze, was aware that she was being picked up and draped over a shoulder, carried out to a hover craft that was parked a block away.

As Miri began to come back into consciousness, she registered her husband's face through a crowd of people, who all were actively not paying attention to the scene unfolding in front of them. This was Hutt business. No one interfered in that on Tatooine.

Miri knew the look in Obi-Wan's eyes. Conflict. He would tear through each person who stood in his way to get to her. But he shouldn't. Luke's safety was at risk. If Obi-Wan were captured, it would only be a matter of time before Luke was given to the Emperor. What the Emperor could do with a child was unthinkable. The hatred and malice with which he would be taught was monstrous.

They both knew this. Miri's eyebrows knit together sadly as her wrists were bound by Jabba's henchmen. Shaking her head, she stopped Obi-Wan in his tracks. His fingers gripped his lightsaber. With her eyes, she pleaded with him to leave it hidden.

 _Don't_ … she sent through the Force. She didn't know how, but she had to believe that she would be alright. Wherever they were taking her, she had to manage on her own. _I can do this._ Suddenly, Miri knew what Qui-Gon Jinn meant when he appeared to her. This was Obi-Wan's choice. But now, Miri knew it was just as much her choice as it was his. He couldn't make it on his own. So she was making it for him.

* * *

 **AN: Hello, after such a while... Still waiting on internet to be installed out in my neck of the literal woods. Still won't settle for satellite internet, so I have to wait on fiber optic technicians. Living in nature isn't without its drawbacks. So, I am relegated to publishing at cafes. Thank you for your patience, as always, and thank you for the new crop of reviews. They make my day. I'm working on more chapters, and I hope to have them posted not long after this. Cheers! Reviews are always appreciated.**


	32. Chapter 32

The hovercraft sped off toward one of the shipyards. Blinking back his fear of losing Miri, Obi-Wan quickly came to his senses. This was not the time to lose his head, or to forget all of his Jedi knowledge. Without thinking, he approached a man sitting idly on a hoverbike, and through the Force, persuaded him to relinquish it.

"You will find this bike at the shipyard in one hour," he said, with a final wave of his hand, and he was off.

Miri was right, he knew that. He could not give himself away. He could not betray all that he and the other Jedi had sacrificed so much for—protecting Luke, and by extension, his twin Leia, spirited away on Alderaan. In plain sight of any who were to look. He gripped the handlebars tightly in bitter acknowledgment of this.

No, he would have to be smart. But he could not let his wife, and his child, go to wherever these criminals had planned. With a bit of luck, he thought he might be fast enough if only to locate the ship that they were taking her to, if indeed it was off-planet they intended to take her.

Sure enough, Obi-Wan's intuition was correct, as he sped into the shipyard, and located the hovercraft that had taken Miri away. It had been powered down. No one was in the vehicle, so with a speed he had no idea he possessed, Obi-Wan dismounted the hoverbike and ran through the rows of freighters and starships, looking for movement.

In the distance he saw her, slung over the shoulder of the Zabrak who ascended the ramp of a YV-929 freighter. Without a tracking device to attach to the freighter, Obi-Wan would have to follow almost immediately. But he would have to be careful.

With all the power he could muster, Obi-Wan resisted the temptation to rush straight at the Hutt men with his lightsaber out. Setting his sights on a nearby starship, Obi-Wan hastily boarded the vessel, ready to track them to their next destination.

* * *

Her eyelids were heavy, almost as if they had been glued shut. With some considerable effort, Miri was able to open them just a crack. Her vision was fuzzy, but she could hear perfectly, and knew she was not alone, wherever she was. The sound of her lightsaber being powered on shocked her senses. Her fear and anger at her most precious of possessions being touched by another person threatened to flood her judgment. Even if she hadn't taken control of her emotions, she was in no state to fight back.

Within a moment, her eyes focused fully, and she saw that Jabba the Hutt's men were inspecting her weapon with a mixture of derision and amusement. Abraxas passed it off to another, and came to kneel in front of her.

"The little Jedi bitch is awake," he crooned, pushing her hair off her face. She shrank from his touch, to which he responded by grabbing her hair fiercely and tilting her face up. "Let's see you fight back now." Abraxas grabbed the collar of Miri's shirt and moved as if to tear it.

"Stop," a commanding voice said from behind Miri. In the cargo hold of the freighter, with her hands bound by sophisticated electric-powered manacles, Miri cut her eyes to the side to see who had stayed Abraxas's hand with such authority.

To Miri's surprise, it was a woman. A woman she had never seen before, who was clad in Mandalorian armor, with her helmet under her arm.

"The Emperor wants her alive," the woman said with an icy coolness that otherwise Miri would have feared, but for the fact she was keeping her from being attacked. "And by alive, I'm fairly sure he also means _unspoiled_."

Miri's stomach dropped. The Emperor. Palpatine. Darth Sidious. He knew of her. She knew she had slipped up a few times, but never expected her existence to be known by the _Emperor_. She could practically hear the blood rushing in her ears as her heart pounded in panic.

"What is it to you?" Abraxas growled, standing to impose an intimidating figure. Clearly, it would not work on this Mandalorian woman.

"It is worth a great deal to me, so I get paid. And so your black market gets a pass from the Empire. I don't think your boss would be too pleased if you soured the whole deal just because you couldn't keep it to yourself."

"We have things that need to be resolved, she and I," he said through gritted teeth.

"That's a shame. I'm afraid they're going to _stay_ unresolved." She approached Miri, her hand on her blaster, ready to draw. When she didn't back down, Abraxas huffed, and left the cargo hold.

Miri let out the breath of air she had been holding for the whole exchange. "Thank you," she said.

"Don't thank me, Missy," she said with bitterness. "I intend to get paid. That's all it is."

Miri's eyes filled with tears, and her stomach filled with ice. "I'm… with child. You cannot take me to him, _please_."

The bounty hunter flexed her jaw momentarily. Miri could see the internal struggle between female solidarity and the adherence to the hustle that was bounty hunting. She hoped that she would win out in the end.

"Job's a job. I have my orders. And if I fail, I'll have to answer to Darth Vader. I'm sorry," she added quietly, that no one in the cargo hold could hear her.

"Please!" Miri shouted. She was becoming desperate. She felt the prickle of the Force as her emotions surged, threatening to emerge. The lights aboard the ship flickered momentarily. They all looked around, and then at Miri.

"Dose her," the bounty hunter said, calling out to the Hutt men aboard the ship. Tears fell from her eyes as the giant needle was brought before her. Just before it was plunged into her neck, the ship gave a great shudder. Once the clear liquid had been injected, her quickened heart rate brought the chemicals to her brain faster, pulling her into a twilight state. The lights on the ship returned to normal, and soon Miri knew no more.

* * *

Obi-Wan sat aboard his stolen starship in stunned silence. He had watched as the freighter had gone into hyper drive. Without a tracker, there was no way he would be able to know what coordinates to set. Bouncing around the galaxy could be dangerous for Obi-Wan. But still, he had to go after Miri. He had to bring her home safely.

So, with solemn acceptance, Obi-Wan set a course for Coruscant, the place he promised himself he would never return to. But, as Obi-Wan was learning, even in solitude, chaos can find you. And Obi-Wan could stand a little chaos, if it meant he could have Miri back.

* * *

 **AN: Thank you guys for your continued reviews, follows and favorites. I'm working on the next chapter right now and hope to get it up tonight or tomorrow morning. As always, your reviews help keep me motivated and inspired.**


	33. Chapter 33

If Miri never awoke in a cloudy haze ever again, she would have been very happy. Too many times this year she had awoken this way. Compared to the feeling of waking peacefully next to Obi-Wan, this was enough to sadden her beyond the limits she ever thought possible. In the moments that followed her waking, she wished that she never had found out about her Force sensitivity. She wished that she had never had it.

But having it had brought her to Obi-Wan, and for that she thought for a moment that it was worth it.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the steady hiss of air that sounded as if it was coming through a respirator. Suddenly fear gripped her as she felt the presence of _him_. Of Anakin. It was malicious, heartless, and enveloped her like a dark shroud. She could feel his anger, his hate.

She kept her eyes closed, and hoped that he had not yet felt her fear, her sadness.

"You are fooling no one, girl," he said, leaning down to the Imperial Army cot to which Miri's right wrist had been chained, and set his gloved hand in front of her face, forcing her to open her eyes through the Force.

Immediately Miri gave a stifled cry, and saw him as he was—looming, black, and the most terrifying thing she had ever seen. With the Force he raised her up to a seated position.

"My Master wants you alive, and for what I do not know. But if it were up to me, I would crush you here and now."

Tears fell silently from her eyes, and she trembled under his incredible power. She hoped he could only feel her fear, and not the reason behind it. She feared for the life of herself, and her child, but also for the life of Obi-Wan and Luke, that they might be found out. With a wave of his hand, the manacle about her wrist clanged to the metal floor of the Imperial Star Destoyer. Darth Vader jerked the girl to her feet with his hand, which made her even more fearful. She was sure her skin burned under his touch.

She felt frozen, unable to react to the situation at hand. She, technically a padawan, and unarmed, was no match for a Sith Lord. She thought briefly of fighting back, but the little life inside her was too precious to risk. She hoped beyond anything that the Emperor wanted her alive for more than just the right of killing her himself. Maybe this was what they had been doing with all the Jedi. Had Vader been bringing Jedi and Force sensitive beings to the Emperor so he could stamp the life out of them?

Before she had too long to dwell on it, she found herself being pushed through hallways and into a great room with a chair that faced out the observation window. She knew who sat in the chair. She did not need to guess.

Vader let go of her arm, and Miri nearly stumbled to her feet. She kept her composure, despite the shaking in her knees. Her breath came in ragged bursts.

"Miriam Gorsa," the Emperor's cold voice echoed through the control deck.

She remained silent. At length, the Emperor's chair revolved, revealing a man cloaked and shrouded nearly in complete shadow. She could see, however, the pale face that peeked through the hood. He stood, and made his way towards his prisoner.

Miri could see the sneer on his face, showing his awful teeth, and stretching his deformed face. She tried not to look away, but found that she couldn't, and closed her eyes. Yet more tears fell down her cheek.

"Do you speak?" his voice startled her as he was now an arm's length away from her.

Her lips trembled. "What do you want of me?" She opened her eyes, and gazed upon him.

He smiled, and began to walk a circle around her. "Normally I would let my protégé dispose of someone like you, but something…" he came to stop in front of her again, this time, a breath away. "Something stayed my hand."

He pulled a lightsaber from his robes, and ignited its purple blade.

"I promised her I would never stop looking. I never did, but alas I was too late when I found out where she'd been hiding all these years. Your mother had been in the ground for some time." He laughed coldly, looking at the purple lightsaber before him. "Such a distinct color. In my lifetime, only two Jedi have ever possessed such a weapon."

"You cannot mean that this is…" Vader's voice came from behind her.

The Emperor's face registered false shock, and he nodded to his apprentice. "Oh yes, Lord Vader, I'm afraid it was the one and only Greta Ferrus I sought."

Miri scrunched her eyes closed for a moment. "But what do you want with me?"

"Well, it is true, your mother was who I had hoped to bring to the Dark Side, but I had hoped that in time, her progeny would be just as powerful."

Miri's eyes opened in shock and understanding.

"And I thought it was just about time that my protégé had his own padawan."

" _No_ ," Miri shocked the two Sith with the pitch of her voice.

"No?" the Emperor laughed mercilessly. "Do you understand, girl, that you must choose this or death?"

This silenced her. In an effort to establish his dominance through the Force by touch, his scarred hand came up to her face, and made contact but a brief moment. Not a second later, the Emperor had been hurled backward and collided with the window to space.

Vader's red blade was at her throat before she had time to register what had happened. _She_ had not sent the Emperor flying, or at least she had not intended as much.

Still, the Emperor found this amusing, and laughed yet again. "Wonderful, dear girl, wonderful!" He pushed himself off the glass and approached Miri again.

"Master, please allow me to dispose of this girl." Vader hissed through his helmet.

"Oh, Lord Vader, let's not get ahead of ourselves." He studied the girl thoughtfully. "Leave us," he said abruptly.

"But Master—" Vader objected.

" _I said leave us_ ," the Emperor said cruelly. Reluctantly, Vader left without another word, sealing the door behind him.

When they were alone, the Emperor's smile had vanished. "The child is strong. But then again, when the mother is threatened…" Miri swallowed, full of fear. "Let's just see _how_ strong." He raised both hands and placed them on each side of Miri's head, holding her in place through the Force.

Miri could feel her thoughts ripped from her mind, playing in front of her like a hologram. The Emperor pulled the last several months from her like he would unravel yarn from a sweater. He hummed in understanding.

When Obi-Wan's face appeared in her mind, her eyes opened again in fear. "No!" she shouted, still unable to break free from the Emperor's hold.

He held on a moment longer, and Miri could no longer see what he was seeing. He stayed that way for some time, and let go.

He sighed, and his mouth opened in a mixture of amusement and happiness. "Oh, my dear child…" He laughed, and sounded almost like his old self. "Such potential you have inside you. And so easily corrupted."

"Please, I beg of you," Miri said feebly. "Let me go."

He hummed a moment, and his features grew dark. "Even untended, I think the potential is there. The Dark Side will find its way into your child's life."

Miri gritted her teeth. "There is no way my child will ever turn to the Dark Side. You couldn't tempt my mother. His _father_ is _Obi-Wan Kenobi_. This child will not be Sith."

He smiled a knowing smile. "No, I should think not… but nonetheless, the Dark Side _will_ find its way into his life. I will see to it." He was silent another moment, and clicked his tongue, turned away and walked to his chair where he sat down again, his face resolute. "You may return to your sand pit, girl," he said. "None of the Imperial forces will stop you. But I cannot promise the same for the Hutts."

Miri swallowed. "That's a chance I am willing to take. And Obi-Wan… Vader… you won't tell him?"

A pause. "No," he said. "My apprentice should not be distracted by petty revenge. And besides," he turned away from Miri, and spoke to the glass. "I have a vested interest that that child of yours make it to adulthood."

Miri would not thank the Emperor, so she stood without addressing him. Soon, he had recalled his apprentice through a communicator, and the Sith Lord had returned to her side.

"What are your orders, my Master?" Vader asked.

"Take the girl to the nearest planet and leave her there."

"But, Master, surely…" Vader's agitation showed through the cracks in his composure. He wanted to see the light dim from her eyes as she died. How could his Master deny him this?

"Do as I say, Vader," the Emperor said, waving them away with the back of his hand. "She is to remain unharmed."

Vader grabbed Miri's upper arm with such force that she was sure she would be left with bruises. She could feel his anger in so many ways, but the bruises would be the physical evidence she would carry with her for days.

As if in a dream, Miri tried to keep up with Vader as he led her back to her cell, and threw her into the room where her cot waited for her. Once the doors sealed behind her, Miri sunk to the floor and let her tears fall freely. She would be freed. But at what cost? What had he seen?


	34. Chapter 34

Miri's eyes darted about the crowded landscape of Coruscant. It was all too much to take in at once. Above her, there were lines of ships traveling in some sort of organized way—not like it was on Tatooine. The ship that had carried her down to Coruscant joined a line of ships, and in moments, Miri no longer could pick it out from the others around her.

Incredulously, she looked at the buildings around her, unsure where to turn. The lightsaber in her hands went unnoticed for a moment. Much to the chagrin of Darth Vader, the Emperor had ordered that it be returned to her. She was confused and frightened at his willingness to arm her, but knew she stood no chance against either of them, so she merely held onto it.

Darth Vader had tied the blindfold around her eyes himself, and thrust her into the arms of a stormtrooper. When the stormtrooper dared to ask where to put her, Vader cruelly told him that he didn't care. So, when the blindfold was taken from her eyes, and she was pushed off the ramp of the small ship onto the streets of Coruscant, Miri had no idea what planet she was even on.

Snapping into reality, she secured her lightsaber in her robes, and picked a direction. A small, nondescript building with windows all the way around it seemed the best of choices at the moment, so with her fear tamped down as far as she could make it go, she walked into the building.

Her eyes adjusted, and before she could react, the voice of a droid greeted her.

"Sit anywhere, honey, I'll be right with you," the droid said, making deliberate movements from table to table, removing plates from tables, putting drinks on others.

It was a diner. It wasn't food Miri was after, so unsure what to do, she merely stood in the doorway, struck dumb.

"Well, come on then, take a seat," the droid said as it approached her.

"I-I'm not here for that, I just need…" Miri looked around. How was she supposed to get home? She didn't think asking for the next transport back to an Outer Rim planet would get her home before Obi-Wan had time to even notice her missing. No, she couldn't draw attention to herself.

"Alright then…" she sat at the bar in front of her, and stared at the counter, spotless as it was. It was several minutes before a large creature in a grubby shirt shifted in front of her, and asked her what she wanted.

"What'll it be?" he asked, looking down at the slight girl seated at his bar.

"I uh… I don't have any credits or anything, I just need…" she said, pausing to pull at her rather messy braid. "I need a place to sit and collect my thoughts, if that's alright."

The creature before her sized her up, and noticing her hesitation, picked up his cue.

"In a bit of a jam?"

Her eyes shot to his in silent gratitude. She nodded the smallest nod she could manage.

"Yeah… lots of youngsters in your shoes these days. Galaxy's a total mess if you ask me. I can't do much in this climate, but I'll help if I can."

Miri smoothed her hair back from her face in exhaustion. "I don't suppose… I need to get back home. I'm not supposed to be here, and I don't know how to get home. I've never even been off planet."

"Where's home then?" the creature scratched at his scruffy chin.

"T-Tatooine…" she said nervously.

He paused a moment, taking in the sight of her. She had an air about her that felt familiar. Looking around his diner, he wiped a few of his many hands with a rag, and placed it on the counter.

"Name's Dex."

"Miriam K—Miriam Gorsa. Miri."

"Why don't you come wait in the back while I try to sort you out, then, eh Miri?"

Miri hesitated, but followed appreciatively, and once she had been spirited away into a stock room, the door clicked behind them.

"Now, I think you ought to tell me exactly what kind of mess you're in, kid."

Miri turned back and looked at Dex in surprise. "I'm not… I just need to get home. My business is my own."

"I need to know this kind of thing if I'm to help you get out past the reach of the Empire. I gotta keep my nose clean, just the same as everyone these days. You can try your luck with anyone else out there if you like—"

"No, no…" Miri said, her eyes filling with fear. She sensed Dex's goodness. She didn't know if it would be easy to find in anyone else out there willing to help a wayward stranger like herself. She laughed breathily in desperation. "I don't even know what planet I'm on. I didn't come here by my own choice."

"Sheesh, kid, you really _are_ in a jam."

"I can't tell you everything. It would put you at risk."

"Listen, kid, I've been at risk plenty o' times, I think a little slip like as yourself couldn't do any worse than I've already had."

Miri swallowed, looking around at the racks of linens and glassware. For a moment she felt at home, like if she closed her eyes she could picture herself back at the cantina in Mos Eisley. That life felt so distant to her now.

"I was taken from the planet by bounty hunters. My husband is a wanted man. But the Emperor let me go, and I don't know if it's a trap, or some kind of trick, or if when I get home, he'll just kill him anyway or what…" Miri began to shake, and sat down on a nearby overturned bucket, cradling her head in her hands.

Dex set his formidable jaw a moment. He wasn't sure what had happened to Obi-Wan after Order 66 was executed, but he had a feeling he was still alive, and on an Outer Rim planet. He knew Obi-Wan. He knew his style. He now only needed verbal confirmation.

"What's his name?"

Miri blinked away tears, and looked up at Dex. "What?"

"Your husband, girl, _what's his name_? If I'm going to help you, I need to know what I'm getting into."

Miri stared a moment. The Emperor already knew that Obi-Wan was alive, and presumably wasn't going to kill him or tell Darth Vader. What possible damage could be done by telling this Dex?

Miri steeled herself. "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Dex let slip a small smile—he wasn't dead after all.

* * *

"All I'm asking, Yoav, is if you've heard anything," Obi-Wan said, putting more pressure on the man with his forearm across his chest.

Yoav, the small-time smuggler and big-time dealer in Empire secrets, shook as Obi-Wan pressed him into the alleyway wall.

"Heard? I hear lots of things," he said. "Might be able to repeat them… for the right price," he added, tentatively.

"Not the right time to test me, Yoav!" Obi-Wan snarled, pressing harder. "My wife. She was taken by bounty hunters, and I want to know where she is."

Yoav gulped. "Alright, alright… Just let up will you?"

Obi-Wan stared him down a moment, and backed off the bottom feeder.

"There. Not so hard, is it? Little kindness goes a long way," Yoav said, but from the look in Obi-Wan's fiery eyes, he knew it was best to drop it. "My buddy who is a technical specialist at the Coruscant Imperial base… overheard something on his headset. Something about taking a prisoner from the Emperor's Stardestroyer, and transporting them to the ground on Coruscant."

"What prisoner?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know, _honest I don't_ ," he said, his hands held high in defeat. "But he said they were real vague about it. Most of the time they refer to the prisoner specifically. ' _Her'_ or ' _him'_. Sometimes might hear if it's one of those rebel resisters who keep popping up. Not this time. Always ' _the prisoner'_."

Obi-Wan was quiet a moment. This was a good sign. This meant that the identity of the prisoner was a closely guarded secret. Someone of significant importance.

"And they were to let them go?" Obi-Wan asked.

"As I said. Here on Coruscant."

So Miri was on Coruscant. His heart leapt with hope. He needed to find her fast though. If the Empire was letting her go, there might be just as many people who would gladly take her in the Empire's stead. It unsettled him that the Emperor would simply let her go, but he could not think of that now. Not when every minute mattered.

He used Force persuasion on Yoav to make him forget he ever spoke to Obi-Wan, and set off for his next contact, who would start putting the word out to look for his wife.

* * *

It had been two days since Obi-Wan questioned Yoav, and he was beginning to lose hope that he would find Miri. Still, he would continue to search for her until he found her. Obi-Wan was reaching the end of his list of contacts, and finally walked through the doors of Dex's Diner, his hood drawn.

Making eye contact with Dex, Obi-Wan ignored the greeting from the droid waitress. A meaningful silence passed between the two, in which Dex smiled despite himself, and quickly wiped his expression. Cocking his head to the side, Dex walked to the back room, indicating to Obi-Wan that he should follow.

When they both were squeezed into the tight quarters, the two embraced happily.

"My old friend," Dex said, slapping the Jedi's back. "I thought the worst."

Obi-Wan backed up and nodded to his old friend. "I know. I am sorry, but no one could know where I went. I am risking all to be here. I need to find—"

"Miri, I know," Dex said with a wry smile.

Obi-Wan was flabbergasted. "You—you've seen her? You know who she is?"

" _Seen_ her? _Know_ her?" Dex laughed. "She's hiding in my house, so yes, I'd say I've seen her and know her."

"Dex, take me there. Now." Obi-Wan breathed through the relief that washed over him. He still wouldn't rest until she was in his arms.

"Alright, alright. Just give me a minute," Dex said, taking his apron off, hanging it on a hook.

They walked the block to Dex's cramped quarters. The minute the door opened, Obi-Wan burst through, looking in every direction for his wife. He found her, curled up on the grubby couch, peering out the tiniest crack in the blinds. At the sound of the door opening, Miri turned, expecting Dex, and found Obi-Wan standing there.

Her stomach flipped, and she breathed in sharply as Obi-Wan rushed to her. Wrapping his arms around her when she stood, Obi-Wan lifted her off her feet, holding her tightly.

"Miriam—" Obi-Wan exclaimed, finally letting her down onto her feet. He breathed her in, not wanting to let her go. He looked down on her, gauging her feelings with their Force bond. "Are you hurt? What happened?"

Miri placed her hands on his chest, and moved them up to his beard, soothing him. "I'm fine, they let me go."

"Why?" Obi-Wan's eyes took on a serious quality.

Miri shook her head, and looked at Dex, who had shut the door behind them. "It was awful, Obi-Wan," she said, stifling a small cry. "The things he said."

"He?" Obi-Wan asked. Did she mean Vader? Or Sidious?

Miri bit the inside of her cheek a moment, and looked at Dex. "Dex, can you…"

Dex waved his hands in understanding. "I'll be in the back when you two are ready to go." He trudged off, leaving the two of them to speak privately.

Miri sat when Dex had gone. Obi-Wan followed suit, taking Miri's hands in his, not wanting to break contact for a second.

"Obi-Wan, he knows." She held her hand up to stop Obi-Wan from talking or asking any questions. "The Emperor knows you're alive. He knows who I am. My mother. He knows about the baby. Everything."

"Then why did he let you go?"

Anguish spread across her face. "He said that the Dark side would touch our child in one way or another. Or find its way into his life. He would see to it. He said that he had so much potential. For what I don't know." Miri shook her head, and subconsciously put her hand to her abdomen, which had not yet started to show the signs of pregnancy.

Obi-Wan was quiet a moment. "He? It's a boy?"

Miri looked at him in surprise. Through her fear and doubt, she smiled. She had wanted to tell him another way. Any way but this. But there it was. "Yes."

Obi-Wan considered this a moment. "We will raise this child in the Light side of the Force. The Dark side will not touch him."

"But can you be sure?" Miri asked, tears welling in her eyes. When they fell, Obi-Wan wiped them away with his thumb.

"As sure as I am that I love you, yes. We will raise him on Tatooine, and train him in the ways of the Force. He will know no other way but the Light." Obi-Wan felt the seed of doubt planted in his heart, but would say nothing in the contrary. He knew that the power of foresight was difficult to master. Even Master Yoda could not always interpret the full meaning of these visions.

But he did know one thing. The Dark side would never win. Not in the end.

* * *

 **AN: Hello again! I can't believe it has been a year since I started this story. I had some strong moments of updating frequently, and stopped during periods of being busy. I sold my home, and my husband's home. I moved across the country. We bought a new house. We started remodeling the basement ourselves. I am getting used to the new, severe climate conditions. I had brought home a young puppy who needed to be house broken and taken to puppy school. It's been a crazy year, but I'm glad you all have stuck with the story and enjoyed it. Thank you all for your kind remarks and reviews. I think that after this chapter, there is just one more that needs to be written.**

 **As a heads up, I have already started work on another fic that is a continuation of the canon I'm building here. If you want to see where this story leads beyond this, you can start reading my other fic, Off Autopilot. If you want to wait for the last chapter to begin reading, that's fine. The last chapter should be coming along shortly.**

 **As always, reviews are appreciated and mean the world to me.**

 **As a final note, I know we are all mourning the loss of Carrie Fisher. Maybe it is her passing that made me want to finish strong with this story. In any case, we lost a really amazing person yesterday. The Star Wars universe is just a little dimmer without her in it.**


	35. Epilogue

The first sun was rising, and Miri still slept. Obi-Wan drew his cloak about him to guard against the morning chill that desert planets so often have. They had been back mere hours, and the exhaustion his wife felt had ensured her swift journey into sleep. Obi-Wan, however, was restless. He tried in vain to sleep, but when he could not, he settled for the lounge chair instead, watching over her as she slept. He could feel her emotions ebbing and flowing in her sleep, and could see them playing out on her face as she dreamed.

When she woke, Miri looked at her surroundings blankly. Obi-Wan watched as she did so, feeling his heart swell knowing she was safe.

Miri looked over at her husband, and breathed a sigh of relief that he was there.

"Took me a minute to remember I was home," she said, swinging her legs over the bed and planting her bare feet on the synstone floor.

"You're safe, with me," Obi-Wan said, rising to plant a kiss on Miri's forehead. He sat beside her, and gently turned her face towards him, looking into her eyes to calm her.

"I can't help…" Miri started, placing her hand over Obi-Wan's, but keeping it where it rested on her neck. "I can't help but worry about the future. It feels too easy. What if we are doing exactly what the Emperor wants?"

Obi-Wan gave a weak smile, recalling a lesson learned from his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

"I have felt the same before. Master Yoda did say to be mindful of the future. But Qui-Gon… He had other feelings about it."

"What were those?" Miri searched his face for comfort.

"That you shouldn't be mindful of the future at the expense of the moment. You're home and safe. The baby is too." Obi-Wan brought his hand to Miri's belly, still not yet visible with the signs of pregnancy.

"I promised you that he would be safe, and we would do our best to train him in the ways of the Light. Do you believe me?"

Miri sat a moment, searching her feelings. "I do."

"The Force has a will of its own. I do not think that will includes the Dark winning. It may happen when we are gone. But there will be balance within the Force one day. That I believe."

Together, Miri and Obi-Wan Kenobi walked out of their small hut in the outskirts of the Dune Sea, looking out over the rocky bluff. The suns rose, and together they welcomed a new chapter in the story of their lives, and a new chapter in the life of the Force.

* * *

 **AN: Finally, I am finished! I am so sorry this story took me so long to finish. I had too much going all at once, but I am happy to report that this isn't the end of my rendition of the Star Wars saga. The story picks up years later with our new characters Rey, Poe, Finn and Kylo Ren, but is definitely linked to this story. They can be read separately or together, but if you are interested in following through, there are several chapters already up. It is called Off Autopilot.**

 **The release of the teaser trailer today got me inspired to start wrapping this story up, and to make more progress with the new story.**

 **As always, reviews are appreciated, and even though I have finished this story, I will come back periodically and read your reviews. They always bring a smile to my face. Thanks to all who stuck through the story.**


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